[No. 75] Encountering Business Books: Innovation is Born from Collisions with the 'Frontier' - 'The Rise of the West'
In this **[Encountering Business Books]** series, I will review one business book at a time that I have encountered and that has served as a catalyst for changing my perspective on life and business.
Book and Author
The book I am introducing today is the timeless masterpiece **'The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community'** (original title: The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community, etc.) by historian William H. McNeill.
Since its publication in 1963, it has overturned historical views around the world and is described as 'the most important history book of the 20th century.' It is not a mere list of dates, but the origin of macro-history that unravels the structure of 'why civilizations rise and why they fall.'
Introduction: Civilizations Die When They 'Withdraw'
In the previous installment [No. 74] 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,' we looked at the history of how humanity cooperated by sharing 'fictions' and came to dominate the Earth.
So, how do civilizations born in that way develop? Did they develop because a 'genius invented something alone'? No, that is not the case.
The answer McNeill provided is simple and cruel. 'Civilizational progress is born from 'contact' with heterogeneous others.'
Civilizations that shut themselves away in peace stagnated and perished. Conversely, only those civilizations that were invaded by other countries, had plagues brought in, or were buffeted by trade, honed their technology and became powerful in an attempt to adapt to that shock (external pressure).
This is modern business competition itself.
The Core of the Book: 'Interaction' That Drives History
The keywords that run through this book are 'Cultural Diffusion' and 'Interaction'.
1. Isolation is Decline
McNeill viewed the world not as separate countries, but as a single 'web' that influences each other. The Chinese compass changed navigation in Europe, and silver from the Americas enriched the Asian economy. There is no such thing as a 'pure original.' A strong civilization is one that 'greedily incorporates (steals) excellent external elements and transforms them into its own form.'
2. The 'Frontier' Becomes the Protagonist
There is an ironic rule of history. The center (the elite class) is satisfied with the status quo and dislikes change. In contrast, people on the 'frontier,' slightly removed from the center, incorporate the technology of the center while improving it with a hungry spirit. Then, one day, the frontier suddenly overtakes the center and seizes hegemony (as was the case with the Roman Empire and modern America).
Practice: A Strategy to Dive into the Unknown 'Frontier'
So, what should we do starting tomorrow?
• Dare to place yourself in an 'away (frontier)' environment:
Step out of the place (the center) where you can already comfortably act as an 'expert,' and dare to visit a place where you are the biggest amateur (the frontier). Participate in study groups in completely different industries or read books in genres you have never read before. That 'discomfort' is the true nature of the frictional heat from which new ideas are born.
• Do not exclude heretical opinions:
Throughout history, civilizations that looked down on outsiders with new technology as 'barbarians' perished. When a completely different, outlandish opinion (a foreign object) emerges in a meeting or team, you need the breadth of mind to not reflexively deny it, but to see it as an opportunity for 'interaction'.
Summary: History Favors Those Who Keep Moving
What McNeill's 'A World History' teaches us is the fact that 'stability equals stagnation.' A life without waves is peaceful, but there is no growth.
Troubles, unexpected changes, and collisions with different types of people—these are all 'external pressures' meant to upgrade the civilization that is you.
In 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,' I understood the OS called 'fiction,' and in 'A World History,' I understood the network theory of 'interaction.' With this, we have acquired a 'bird's-eye view' to survey business from the massive perspective of history.
Now, let's shift our perspective back to the 'individual battle' and move on to the psychology of how to develop your talents in this rapidly changing world.
▼ Recommended reading (from past series)
This is a must-read list for translating the macro historical dynamics of 'interaction (networks)' and 'the frontier swallowing the center' learned in 'A World History' into modern business strategy and organizational theory.
[No. 74] 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind' [Reason for selection: Another OS of history] As mentioned in the article, this is one of the two pillars of macro-history alongside McNeill. If 'Sapiens' is the history of the 'fiction (software)' that made humanity cooperate, this book, 'A World History,' is the history of how groups holding those fictions have 'communicated (networked)' with each other. It is a masterpiece that should always be read as a set.
[No. 74] 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind' [Reason for selection: Another OS of history] As mentioned in the article, this is one of the two pillars of macro-history alongside McNeill. If 'Sapiens' is the history of the 'fiction (software)' that made humanity cooperate, this book, 'A World History,' is the history of how groups holding those fictions have 'communicated (networked)' with each other. It is a masterpiece that should always be read as a set.
[No. 64] 'The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail' [Reason for selection: Proving the overthrow from the frontier in business] This book applies the historical law McNeill spoke of—that 'the wealthy center (elites) runs to maintain the status quo and eventually has its hegemony stolen by the hungry frontier'—directly to modern corporate competition. You can see how large corporations (empires) are destroyed by nameless startups (barbarians of the frontier).
[No. 97] 'Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World' [Reason for selection: The strength of network-type organizations] Just as civilizations became stronger by abandoning isolation and building networks of 'interaction,' modern organizations cannot survive unless they abandon the traditional pyramid (isolated hierarchy). This is a masterpiece that depicts how the U.S. Special Operations Forces evolved into a flat network organization that 'propagates' information.
[No. 84] 'Don't Give Advice: Coaching Techniques That Dramatically Improve Subordinates and Organizations' [Reason for selection: Communication that creates interaction] Just as innovation was born from the 'contact' of different civilizations, 'contact (interaction)' of diverse opinions is necessary within an organization. However, if a boss unilaterally gives advice (dominates), that contact will not be born. This is the ultimate coaching technique for drawing answers out of the other party and creating small friction (dialogue).
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▼ I also introduce various other things!