'They all want to be Brunel', Fig 1, a wonderful quote that summarises the findings of the Institution's recent Membership Survey. But of course, they can't. Self evidently:
We are living in a different era (we have already built the Eiffel Tower and the Forth Bridge).
One-offs are just that - slavish imitation simply results in a string of lesser copies. Think of any sphere of human endeavour - painting, musical composition, sporting prowess - and it is the originals, the unconventional, unexpected and often unexplainable that catch the attention and linger in the memory.
We all have our own different mix of talents that should be recognised, nurtured, exploited, rewarded and celebrated rather than constrained to match some preconceived pattern.
Professor David A. Nethercot OBE, FREng, BSc(Eng), PhD, DSc, CEng,
FIStructE, FICE, FCGI