Ben Wilson

Icelandic fishermen would use a naturally occurring mineral, calcite, as a polarizer. So when the sun was out, it would create glare on the surface of the ocean, which would then make it difficult for them to see down beneath the surface. So they would look through the calcite to eliminate glare and see fish beneath the surface of the ocean so they would know where to fish.

So Land hears about polarizers and how cool they are and becomes obsessed with the idea of bringing the world a synthetic polarizer so you don't have to carry around like a big mineral calcite to use polarization. And at this point, he feels like he has his mission in his life already, the creation of synthetic polarizers. He's totally obsessed with the idea, consumed by it.

So Land hears about polarizers and how cool they are and becomes obsessed with the idea of bringing the world a synthetic polarizer so you don't have to carry around like a big mineral calcite to use polarization. And at this point, he feels like he has his mission in his life already, the creation of synthetic polarizers. He's totally obsessed with the idea, consumed by it.

He's thinking of all these different ways that you could use it to eliminate headlight glare. If you use it in the windshields of automobiles, you could use it in sunglasses to eliminate glare. He's just thinking of all these ways that polarization and a synthetic polarizer that you could manufacture and distribute everywhere could change people's lives. So he's got this mission in life.

He's thinking of all these different ways that you could use it to eliminate headlight glare. If you use it in the windshields of automobiles, you could use it in sunglasses to eliminate glare. He's just thinking of all these ways that polarization and a synthetic polarizer that you could manufacture and distribute everywhere could change people's lives. So he's got this mission in life.

He graduates from high school, goes to Harvard for one year where he studies physics and especially optics. And then he leaves after a year because he's really frustrated by the rigidity of the curriculum and the way that people studied. He wants to discover the secrets of light and polarization. He wants to experiment and learn new things. Meanwhile, you know, he's in college.

He graduates from high school, goes to Harvard for one year where he studies physics and especially optics. And then he leaves after a year because he's really frustrated by the rigidity of the curriculum and the way that people studied. He wants to discover the secrets of light and polarization. He wants to experiment and learn new things. Meanwhile, you know, he's in college.

He just wanted to shut up and study and go to class and get his grades. So he drops out of Harvard after only a year. At first, he moves to Chicago and he flirts with the idea of writing a novel, the next great American novel. And I do find it interesting that both he and Steve Jobs considered becoming novelists before firmly deciding against it and going into technology.

He just wanted to shut up and study and go to class and get his grades. So he drops out of Harvard after only a year. At first, he moves to Chicago and he flirts with the idea of writing a novel, the next great American novel. And I do find it interesting that both he and Steve Jobs considered becoming novelists before firmly deciding against it and going into technology.

It's like one small but interesting connection between the two. So he briefly does this. This only lasts like weeks, maybe a month or two. Then he moves to New York City where he borrows some money from his dad so he can live in a dingy basement apartment and embark on independent research. He collaborates with some students studying ophthalmology at Columbia University and

It's like one small but interesting connection between the two. So he briefly does this. This only lasts like weeks, maybe a month or two. Then he moves to New York City where he borrows some money from his dad so he can live in a dingy basement apartment and embark on independent research. He collaborates with some students studying ophthalmology at Columbia University and

And he even breaks into a laboratory after hours to use their equipment to conduct experiments. This is another example of high agency behavior, right? When people tell you, no, you can't use this lab. You have nowhere to study and conduct your experiments. Do you just say, well, okay, you know, I tried.

And he even breaks into a laboratory after hours to use their equipment to conduct experiments. This is another example of high agency behavior, right? When people tell you, no, you can't use this lab. You have nowhere to study and conduct your experiments. Do you just say, well, okay, you know, I tried.

Or do you prop open a couple windows and sneak in at midnight to go conduct your experiments when no one's looking, right? That's what he does. High agency. But most of the time, he's not in the lab. He's doing a lot of experimenting, but he's also either in his basement or at the New York Public Library. He actually gets married at this time. He marries very young. He marries very well.

Or do you prop open a couple windows and sneak in at midnight to go conduct your experiments when no one's looking, right? That's what he does. High agency. But most of the time, he's not in the lab. He's doing a lot of experimenting, but he's also either in his basement or at the New York Public Library. He actually gets married at this time. He marries very young. He marries very well.

His wife is a great companion for him, very supportive. Land was actually incredibly curious. He wanted to learn a lot. And so he gets very bored once he has figured out a solution. So this is a problem when he's at Harvard. He does end up, you know, spoiler, going back to Harvard. When he's at Harvard, he doesn't want to finish his homework. He will do the homework.

His wife is a great companion for him, very supportive. Land was actually incredibly curious. He wanted to learn a lot. And so he gets very bored once he has figured out a solution. So this is a problem when he's at Harvard. He does end up, you know, spoiler, going back to Harvard. When he's at Harvard, he doesn't want to finish his homework. He will do the homework.

He'll study it until he knows the solution in his head, and then he just drops it. And so he's got all this half-completed homework with the solution, but none of the work done. And so she would actually come and Pick up his homework, look at the solution, and then kind of fill it all out and complete it so that he can turn it in and get a good grade.

He'll study it until he knows the solution in his head, and then he just drops it. And so he's got all this half-completed homework with the solution, but none of the work done. And so she would actually come and Pick up his homework, look at the solution, and then kind of fill it all out and complete it so that he can turn it in and get a good grade.

So they would have a very faithful, constant, in many ways, boring marriage for their entire lives. And Edwin Lamb thought that this was part of his success. He wrote, quote, no person could possibly be original in one area. Unless he were possessed of the emotional and social stability that comes from fixed attitudes in all areas other than the one in which he's being original.