After their animated exploration of capitalism, the RSA are back with a visual distillation of one of the most important questions in creative culture: Where do good ideas come from?

Steven Johnson tackles the grand question with insights from his latest book, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation (public library), and a historical perspective on innovation throughout human civilization. His answer strongly echoes the Brain Pickings mission — to build a rich and wide-spanning pool of mental resources that serve as the building blocks of creativity.

That’s the real lesson: Chance favors the connected mind.

Also worth watching is Johnson’s recent TED talk, one of my favorites this year:

Where Good Ideas Come From comes as a fine addition to these must-read books by TEDGlobal speakers.