A Good Foundation

Last month on this page I said something that got a big positive response from our readers. I wish I could say that I hit on a brilliant, huge, incredibly "INSIGHTful" idea. But, no, all I did was mention that I am a sci-fi fan. Evidently, so are many others in the Collision Repair Industry. I have enjoyed many discussions during these past few weeks about our favorite science fiction books and films.

What do science fiction fans and collision repair professionals have in common? I think we can make a case for good old-fashioned human ingenuity and common sense facing the sometimes strange and a little bit scary future.

Isaac Asimov’s classic Foundation trilogy, for example, is a story built on the hypothesis that the entire future of humanity can be predicted, step-by-step, by computer-generated statistics based on knowledge of all past history. Experience is always a good teacher.

Asimov’s construct, however, is far from carved-in-stone and predestined. An essential in-gredient in his hypothetical world is the fast-thinking action of an individual clever enough to see an opportunity and quick enough to grab it. Success involves willingness to change and focused personal commitment to a plan.

Two people who are willing to devote valuable time working for progress in our industry come to mind: Lou DiLisio, CIC’s current chairman, and Roger Wright, taking the helm in 2003. CIC participants can rely on both men: they are men of vision possessing good common sense.

Our feature this month demonstrates how difficult it can be in the midst of current events to determine if real progress is happening. The agreement with automakers to share service and repair information with independent shops has been heralded as an event of "historical significance" by ASA. Others view the agreement as a small step forward. Continued work on this issue appears necessary.

I hope we are all planning on attending NACE 2002, in Dallas in December. It will be a great event, packed with information and interaction on an international scale. I’m thinking perhaps all of us sci-fi fans could meet up somewhere after a day full of exhibits and seminars - Will there be a Star Trek booth in the exhibition hall?