Ray Kurzweil's analogy using the Human Genome Project to illustrate how linear perception underestimates exponential progress, where reaching 1% in 7 years meant completion was only 7 doublings away: Halfway through the human genome project, 1% had been collected after 7 years, and mainstream critics said, “I told you this wasn’t going to work. 1% in 7 years means it’s going to take 700 years, just like we said.” My reaction was, “We finished one percent - we’re almost done. We’re doubling every year. 1% is only 7 doublings from 100%.” And indeed, it was finished 7 years later. A key question is why do some people readily get this, and other people don’t? It’s definitely not a function of accomplishment or intelligence. Some people who are not in professional fields understand this very r...