Comment by sh34r

How many companies in Silicon Valley can trace their history back to eight postdocs who absolutely despised William Shockley (for good reason)? They didn’t climb the same ladder, so much as run away from the same bear, using the same emergency exit.

Spite and necessity are much more common motivators for greatness than team synergy. People will do the wildest things because they share a mutual enemy. Just look at the drone innovation that’s happened in Ukraine.

On the other hand, annoying sports analogies are a fantastic recipe for mediocrity.

Great scientists and engineers seldom work alone, but their paths to the top were usually rather unique, and all too often, full of tragedy.