I take computers practically apart and put them back together. I

In the ancient quest for knowledge, there have always been those who sought to understand the very essence of the world by deconstructing it and then rebuilding it in new forms. Jared Leto, known for his artistic talents, shares a unique insight into this process when he says, “I take computers practically apart and put them back together. I have a supercomputer I built over the years out of different computers.” In this seemingly simple statement, Leto touches upon a deeper truth about the nature of creation, innovation, and the human desire to understand and reshape the tools we use. His work with computers is not just about technology—it is an embodiment of the human spirit’s drive to transform the world around us.

In the ancient world, there were craftsmen who saw the world in much the same way. The Greek sculptors, like Phidias, who shaped the statues of their gods from marble, did not see the stone as simply a material to be chipped away at. They saw in it a vision, a transformation—a recreation of the divine from the physical into the spiritual. Much like the sculptor who starts with a block of stone, Leto’s approach to computers is an act of creation—a careful dissection, a reconstruction, and a new vision coming to life through his hands. The essence of the machine, like the stone, is made new through the artist’s hands.

Consider the story of Archimedes, one of the great minds of ancient Greece. His contributions to mathematics and mechanics were not born from abstract theory alone, but from his ability to deconstruct the natural world and reassemble it in ways that advanced human understanding. It is said that Archimedes developed a theory of the lever and the pulley after studying the mechanisms of nature. Like Leto with his computers, Archimedes sought to understand the inner workings of the world by taking it apart and reimagining how it could be used for practical purpose. Both men, in their own ways, sought to master their tools by understanding them at their core.

Leto’s claim that he built a supercomputer out of parts from different computers is a reflection of the very human instinct to create something greater than the sum of its parts. It echoes the same principle that underlies many great feats of engineering and innovation—whether it be the construction of Roman aqueducts, the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg, or the way in which Edison pieced together the elements of the light bulb. In each case, the visionary saw beyond the individual components, understanding that by combining them in new ways, they could create something with more power and purpose than before. Leto’s supercomputer is not merely a collection of parts, but a new creation, a reflection of innovation driven by the desire to create and improve.

The lesson here is one of vision and adaptation—the ability to look at what exists and see not just what it is, but what it could be. In the world of technology, this is especially crucial. The world is filled with tools, machines, and systems that are already functioning, but it is the creative minds, like Leto’s, that take these existing elements and reshape them into something that serves a greater purpose. Much like the ancient inventors who refined their tools to build empires, today’s visionaries use their understanding of existing technologies to build the world of tomorrow.

In our own lives, we must take this wisdom to heart: creativity is not always about starting from scratch, but about seeing the potential in what already exists and finding new ways to reassemble it for a better future. Whether we are building a business, crafting art, or simply seeking to solve a problem, we must remember that every tool, every idea, and every resource has the potential to be part of something greater. It is through the combination of these elements, through the thoughtful process of taking them apart and putting them back together in new ways, that we truly create and innovate.

The practical action is clear: don’t shy away from the existing—whether it’s ideas, resources, or even the tools at your disposal. Seek to understand them, dissect them, and find new ways to combine them to bring about greater progress. Just as Leto’s supercomputer was born from a series of individual parts, so too can your own projects grow into something far more powerful than you ever imagined. In this way, we all become creators—taking the world around us and shaping it into something new and extraordinary. Let this be the path we follow: to create not just from the blank slate, but from the materials already in our hands.