The movie Flash of Genius which is based on a true story depicts a battle of an innovator against a big company for patent infringement. Bob Kearns who invented the intermittent windscreen wiper did not hesitate to file a case against one of the biggest automotive companies, Ford corporation. Kearns’ situation is a classic example of a David and Goliath story. No matter how small you are in the eyes of dominant people, you can still achieve triumph as long as you are determined and certain for what you’re fighting for. What Mr. Kearns went through speaks of the many other innovators who were also put down by other big industries.
For innovators like him, money would be worthless if their exclusive rights for a certain invention are stolen from them. It’s just normal for Mr. Kearns to react that way because his distinction as an innovator was taken for granted. Despite the huge amount of bribe offered two Mr. Kearns, he still sticked to his conviction which really inspired me. He also proved that nothing would be impossible for a man that practices his profession ethically. Engineers are expected to create something innovative that would benefit mankind.
As a future engineer, I was motivated to contribute a significant impact on the society out of my own terms in the future. In my opinion, innovators should set aside personal interests to come up with an efficient design. As portrayed in the story, Mr. Kearns intention is to raise a lot of money out of his invention which is just normal for a man who is raising quite many kids. Setting his personal interests aside, indeed, his invention contributed a lot in the society in terms of the convenience and safety of a vehicle bearer. One important lesson gained from Ford Company is not to mimic what they had done.
This can really affect one’s reputation and credibility as innovators. As long as there is a fair trial, nothing can escape from the law. It is also important to know the laws concerning Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for it is possible that other people or firm might use your idea without your permission. By being aware of such law, you can defend yourself in such instances. In the case of Mr. Kearns, he tried his best to defend himself in the court. Even if he is not a lawyer by profession, he was able to attain victory in the trial. In situations like that, one should not confine one’s self in his/her field of expertise.
It also pays off to learn other discipline to uplift one’s knowledge and became competitive. Lastly, Flash of Genius gave hope to every innovator who was stuck in the same situation. As a future part of the functional class of the society, I also realized that giving trust would be a very delicate issue. No one should fear of granting trust to somebody. It’s for you to decide whom to collaborate with. The best thing to do is to know how to handle those situations. Most importantly, be familiar with the law because we would never go wrong if we abide the law.
