Podcast Summary: "How Great Ideas Are Born & Why We Stick With People Like Us"

Podcast: Something You Should Know
Host: Mike Carruthers
Guests: Paul Sloan (innovation & creativity expert), Michael Morris (cultural psychologist)
Date: January 26, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores two powerful aspects of human experience and ingenuity:

• How great ideas really emerge—often by accident or unpredictable paths—and what we can do to cultivate more innovative thinking in our lives and work.
• The deep-rooted human instinct to cluster in tribes, how these groups guide our identity and choices, and why this impulse both bonds and sometimes divides us.

Expert guests Paul Sloan and Michael Morris provide engaging stories and actionable insights into creativity, serendipity, tribal behavior, and how understanding these instincts can enrich our personal and collective lives.

Part One: The Birth of Great Ideas with Paul Sloan

1. The Myth of Planning and the Reality of Serendipity

[00:44, 07:30, 08:49]

• Great ideas and true success are rarely the product of careful planning; they often spring from accident, failure, or an unexpected turn.
• Paul Sloan:

  “The idea that you can plan for success is a dangerous idea. ...Many of the most interesting things that happened to them in life were the result of an accident.” (00:44, 08:49)
  “If they look back and they're honest, they’ll say that many of the most interesting things that happened to them in life was the result of an accident or something unexpected.” (08:49)

Memorable Stories of Accidental Invention

• Potato Chips Origin (Saratoga Chips):
  When a customer complained about thick, soggy fries, chef George Crum sliced potatoes paper thin out of annoyance, accidentally creating the crisp we know and love. (06:04)
• Penicillin:
  Alexander Fleming’s frustrated return to a neglected petri dish led to the discovery of penicillin, as he recognized opportunity in what many would dismiss. (07:30)
• Other Examples:
  Post-it Notes from failed glue, Viagra’s side effect leading to a new, hugely successful drug usage. (11:52, 18:42)
• Paul Sloan:

  "If Sir Alexander Fleming had just ignored that mold in the petri dish, we wouldn't have penicillin... The clever people are open to the idea that they can do something about it and are prepared to take action." (11:52)

2. The Role of Open-Mindedness and Productive Boredom

[10:33, 11:21]

• Boredom and downtime spark unconscious problem-solving and creativity.

• Deliberate randomness, such as changing routines or seeking new experiences, can catalyze breakthroughs.

• Paul Sloan:

  "Bring more boredom into your life... Many of the greatest ideas... come at times when they've been deliberately going through a mental downtime…” (10:33)

3. What to Do When Opportunity Knocks

[11:52, 18:18]

• Cultivate an attitude that seizes on serendipitous events, investigates mistakes, and follows up.

• The difference between inconsequential accidents and great innovation is action and resourcefulness.

• Mike Carruthers:

  “It’s all about the next step. The next step... is either to do something with them or just throw them in the trash." (18:18)

4. Innovation: A Numbers Game

[13:08, 20:11]

• Large volumes of ideas result in a few successes; even major companies (like Procter & Gamble) systematically create the conditions for innovation.

• Most ideas will fail, and that's okay—what matters is consistently generating and testing ideas.

• Paul Sloan:

  "Innovation is a very wasteful process. You generate a lot of ideas and you implement the very best and you throw away hundreds." (13:08)
  "Unless you are prepared to roll the dice, you never roll a six." (20:11)

5. The Power of Perspective and Outsider Thinking

[23:40]

• Major breakthroughs often come not from experts but from outsiders who see the problem differently.

• Story: Jorge Odon, a car mechanic, invented a childbirth device by paralleling the mechanics of wine bottle cork removal to labor. (23:40)

• Paul Sloan:

  "He came up with this idea because he didn’t think like a doctor... By taking a completely different approach... he was able to come up with an unexpected solution." (23:40)

Part Two: Why We Stick With People Like Us—Tribal Instincts with Michael Morris

1. The Human Drive for Tribes and Belonging

[29:02, 30:16, 32:06]

• Humans are fundamentally tribal—living in groups bound by shared ideas, culture, or profession.

• These groups or “tribes” are the foundation for trust, collaboration, and our sense of meaning.

• We each inhabit multiple tribes—family, profession, hobby groups, religious communities.

• Michael Morris:

  “We can trust people beyond kith and kin... because if someone shares our culture... they are predictable to us. We can coordinate and collaborate with them. ...Tribes are what made us human. They’re what got us out of the Stone Age.” (29:12)

2. Code Switching & Multiple Identities

[30:16, 32:06]

• We adopt different behaviors, norms, and language (“code switching”) depending on which tribe we’re engaging with—be it work, family, hobby, or political group.

• Michael Morris:

  “We all switch between different code words and different registers when we are trying to mesh with our different tribes.” (32:06)

3. The Instincts Behind Tribalism

[35:20, 36:48, 38:17]

• Peer Instinct: Desire to belong, be accepted, experience group conformity.

• Hero Instinct: The drive to contribute to and gain status within the group.

• Ancestor Instinct: Feeling of connection to tradition and a historical continuity.

• These instincts foster solidarity and cooperation, not hostility; our modern problems come from how these impulses are channeled.

• Michael Morris:

  “We are wired as humans to have certain basic motivations… the motivation to belong, to be understood, to be accepted.” (35:20)
  "They are instincts for solidarity, not for hostility." (34:06)
  "Being in like minded political groups satisfies these tribal motivations in a very, very effective way... but this has created a feedback loop." (43:14)

4. Tribal Instincts: Uniquely Human?

[37:15-38:17]

• Animals may group, but humans uniquely collaborate with shared, abstract intentions based on culture, planning, and shaped norms.

• Michael Morris:

  "They collect in groups... but these groups don’t collaborate according to a common plan... What allows us to form shared plans... is a unique human trait." (37:15-38:17)

5. Tribal Comfort, Security, and the Double-Edged Sword

[38:29, 41:25, 42:00]

• The comfort of being among similar people is deeply satisfying—a feeling of “my people” and being understood.

• However, strong tribal identity may also reinforce echo chambers (e.g., social media bubbles) and inflamed political division.

• Feeling at ease in “tribal” groups can make transitions or the deaths of those tribes (e.g., the decline of radio professionals) feel like personal loss.

• Michael Morris:

  “The reason it feels good when we’re in a like minded group... is because we have hardwired motivations, needs that get satiated by that experience. So it’s part of the human nature.” (40:30)
  "There's something exciting and stimulating about diversity... But there's also something deeply comfortable about having like minded groups that provide support and security." (42:00)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Paul Sloan:

  “It’s no good having these accidents unless you’re prepared to act on them and see them as information and opportunity rather than as an inconvenience and an annoyance.” (07:30)

• Michael Morris:

  “We are... hardwired to mesh with the people around us, to feel that we are in agreement with the people around us. That is one of the things that we get from being part of a tribe—this sense of community and belonging and understanding.” (35:20)

• Mike Carruthers:

  “It’s all about the next step... after those potato chips was either to do something with them or just throw them in the trash, and that’s the end of it.” (18:18)

• Michael Morris:

  “Being in like minded political groups satisfies these tribal motivations in a very, very effective way. ...The problem is that this has created a feedback loop...” (43:14)

Key Takeaways and Actionable Insights

On Creative Success

• Be receptive to the unexpected. Don’t discard accidents or frustrations too quickly.
• Deliberately introduce randomness or change into your routines. New paths breed new perspectives.
• Take action. Recognizing and pursuing unplanned opportunities—rather than letting them pass—is the hallmark of innovators.
• Quantity is part of quality. Don’t be afraid of generating lots of “bad” ideas; only a few need to stick.
• Look for outsider perspectives. Breakthroughs often come from viewing problems outside their typical frame.

On Tribal Instincts

• Acknowledge and leverage your tribes. They power cooperation, innovation, and societal progress.
• Embrace code switching. Adapting to different contexts enriches your life and facilitates collaboration.
• Recognize both comfort and limitation. While tribes offer support and affirmation, be aware of echo chambers and seek connections across diverse groups.
• Understand the instincts at work. Belonging, contributing, and connecting to legacy are powerful motivators—and knowing this can help channel these instincts for good in personal and public life.

Additional “Something You Should Know” Segments

(Timestamps: 02:53, 47:38)

• Emoji Use Enhances Digital Communication: Emojis act as “digital body language,” clarifying tone and reducing misunderstandings.
• Weight Loss and Self-Monitoring: Regularly tracking meals, weighing in, and using engagement tools increases weight loss success rates—frequent self-monitoring is crucial.

The Tone & Style

True to Mike Carruthers’ conversational and insightful style, the episode mixes expert interview, engaging true stories, and practical wisdom. The tone is encouraging, accessible, and curious—aiming to equip listeners not only with knowledge but with simple ways to improve everyday life.

For anyone interested in how innovation really happens and why people are drawn to like-minded groups, this episode weaves together scientific research, fascinating anecdotes, and actionable tips that resonate far beyond the hour.