“If the first people to experiment with great inventions such as radios, generators, or airplanes had been afraid of being arrested, we’d never be enjoying those things today. “

– The Boy who Harnessed the Wind

 

 

 

 

William’s construction of the windmill reflects genetic based denial of risk necessary to innovation. The first windmill he constructed was 5m tall and the tallest one that he has built so far is 12m. Building something that tall using scrap materials and tools, and little knowledge about structural foundation, then having to climb it would sound risky to most people. In his autobiography, William also recounted an incident of ignoring a power surge in his dad’s radio due to the excitement when his windmill worked. It was on retrospect that he recognised the danger and put together a transformer to prevent it happening again. If one were to consider and evaluate the risk of every step involved along the way, mankind would have been too worried for any invention to occur. William did not deny this as well. After his first successful windmill, William continued experimenting with radio broadcasting. Whilst his cousin was worried that they would get into trouble with the authorities for interfering in the radio frequencies, William replied “Let them come arrest me. It would be an honour.”