While we were living in Kuwait, there was a conversation taking place about the future of the petrol-dollar. The consensus was that technology and dwindling resources were going to upset the flow of the country’s primary source of income and steps needed to be taken right away. There was talk of science and technology, maybe tourism, and while I was skeptical of tourism, I thought the conversation was important and hoped that it would lead to action. These hopes were somewhat tempered as I observed Kuwaits society. Women are simply not part of the creative process. What this means is that Kuwait is running on half of its creative intellect, making innovation and problem solving a much more cumbersome endeavor. This is reinforced by statistics on inventions, patents and entrepreneurship. Given its resources and recognized urgency, Kuwait is seriously lagging in these categories.
Now I sense many of you bobbing your head in agreement. “Yeah those Kuwaiti’s are all messed up.” What’s strange about this, is that it’s the same arrangement that we have adopted when it comes to solving our nations problems. It’s either Republican or Democrat. Kuwait proves that dividing a population is a disastrous recipe for creativity and productive problem solving. We need to stop following an already proven failed process of other societies.