First Word, Last Word, and Hype Cycle

Both Gartner Hype Cycle and First Word/Last Word capture the differences in population’s interest in technology/art with respect to time. “First word” art is comparable to the first two steps of GHC (rise and peak of interest) and “last word” art is comparable to the last step of GHC (“Plateau of Productivity”). A new form of art/technology is initially met with a surge in interest and attention (hype), with interest/attention waning as the art/technology ceases to be “new”. After the test of time, the truly inspirational/useful art/technology are the ones embedded in the minds and memories of future generations.

I think Schulze had a particular interest in technologies in the “Trough of Disillusionment” because they are like gemstones deposited and covered up in the depth of a mountain. They are ideas that have been established but are waiting to be polished into something truly influential.

I am most interested in “last word” art, or the “enlightenment” part of the GHC. Polishing a gemstone is as much of an innovation as creating one, although creation of a gemstone is really a blessing from the muses.