Well now, it seems to me that our lack of innovation and creativity, is due to a lack of encouragement. Being a current victim of public education (yes, that is what I consider myself), I can say that no encouragement for thinking differently is ever put forth in school. Even in one answers a question in a differrent way, they student is deemed wrong, because "that is not the answer in teh book."
Also, look in the media, anyone who even dresses differently is looked at funny.
Lets face it, conformity is becoming, if it is not already, a mainstay in our current culture. And that is leading to our ultimate downfall from being Number One.
Think about what kind of innovation it takes to create new, great inventions. Let's look at the automobile, some guy thought of taking a combustion engine, putting it in a metal box, and putting wheels on that box, and putting people inside of it.
Very few people have the creativity to think in such non-conforming ways, and those who do are scorned by our culture, and lose hope of continuting.
If we want to be number one again, then it is my opinion, that different ways of thinking should be encouraged.
I think I just went a bit off topic didn't I?
See what public school does to you?