The miracle of creative genius

Chatroulette, a service which connects randomly individuals in series of anonymous online videochats, has really exploded. That’s hardly surprising – what could be more exciting than the chance to talk to strings of perfect strangers about trivial issues, when they don’t click on in search of someone younger or female? The service seems to have attracted a disproportionate number of – well, exhibitionists; but that’s a different topic. It’s a minor side-effect which should not be blamed on the creator of that amazing project. That creator was, in fact, a precocious 17-year old Russian student. Well, he has stopped going to school – but can school teach him that kind of creativity anyway? Now he is besieged by a Russian internet magnate, Google, and everyone else with the sweetest offers for collaboration, employment, induction into some hall of fame, etc. I truly wish I knew how to help some of my students develop this kind of boundless ingenuity in the service of all humanity.