Furious Brainstorming

This chapter analyzes the Royal Society of Arts' renewed openness to ideas in the mid-1970s, which was led by its secretary, Christopher Lucas. It also mentions Arthur Aikin, who pioneered the practice of giving lectures for instruction and entertainment in the early nineteenth century. It also talks about how Samuel More used his connections to recruit members among the late eighteenth century's inventors, such as John 'Iron Mad' Wilkinson or Josiah Wedgwood. The chapter focuses on the secretary's job in the Society, which involved taking minutes at general and sub-committee meetings, listing of subscribers and drafts for the advertisements of the premiums, and managing the Society's correspondence. It also examines how the secretary combines their influence over recruitment with their ability to manipulate their unparalleled knowledge of the Society's administrative and electoral processes.