Raul Cuero: A lesson in Creativity

          Raul Cuero is an inspiration for people everywhere, not only for aspiring scientists and inventors, but for anyone who is determined to overcome difficulties and to thrive in their future.  After watching his interview, I was able to take away many important words of wisdom that I can most definitely apply to my life.  The one that sticks out the most is something that has been talked about for years now, and it is the fact that technology today may be hindering the imaginations of the generations of tomorrow.  Cuero notes that much of his creativity came from living in a dull town in which he was forced to play outdoors for entertainment.  He says that kids today spend too much of their time staring at computer screens where information and images are simply fed to them, not thought up from their own imaginations.  For Cuero, it was his deep connection with nature that also allowed him to be the creative person that he is.  Everyone today can surely learn from what he has to say, considering most people of all ages can often be caught with their faces buried in a screen.  We all need to make time away from technology to explore nature and our own minds in order to let our creativity grow.
            A second very important thing that I took away from Raul Cuero's interview has a little less to do with creativity and more to do with persevering.  Raul describes how, being from Colombia, he often faced prejudice and was looked at and treated differently.  He simply states, "...but I didn't pay attention."  Cuero had his fair share of "haters," but did he let them stop him?  He actually did quite the opposite.  Raul Cuero used the negativity he got from others as motivation to gain more knowledge and be more creative; "using haters as motivators" as we might say today. From watching this interview,  I am able to understand more that sometimes it is not enough to just be smart; to simply know facts.  When you are creative as well, you can apply this creativity to the facts you already know and therefore make something out of the two, such as Cuero did with his inventions.  Not only can we all learn a lesson on working hard in our academic fields,  but Cuero also teaches that imagination and creativity are just as important on the path to success.