What I love about new technology is that it really pushes the

Hear the words of Robert Rodriguez: “What I love about new technology is that it really pushes the art. It really pushes it in a way that you can’t imagine until you come up with the idea. It’s idea-based. You can do anything.” In this saying lies a revelation: that tools, though born of wires and invention, are not lifeless things, but catalysts of creation. They are the winds that fill the sails of imagination, carrying the vessel of vision farther than one ever thought possible. Rodriguez teaches us that it is not the tool itself that creates greatness, but the marriage of technology and the bold spark of the idea.

From the dawn of time, humankind has used its inventions not merely to survive, but to express. The brush in the hand of the cave-dweller became the first stroke of art. The loom became not only a tool of clothing but of patterns, colors, symbols that spoke without words. When the printing press was born, it did more than multiply books—it multiplied voices, and entire civilizations were reshaped. So too today, when cameras, computers, and special effects transform visions into worlds. The technology alone is not the miracle; it is the fire of the idea that wields it, that gives it meaning and beauty.

Consider the tale of Georges Méliès, the magician turned filmmaker of the early 20th century. With the new technology of moving pictures, he did not simply record what was before him. He imagined what no one had yet seen: men traveling to the moon, fantastical journeys of wonder and dream. By experimenting with cuts, effects, and illusions, he revealed to the world that cinema was not only mirror but canvas. Méliès’s genius was not in the camera itself, but in the idea he dared to pair with it. Without him, the art of film might have remained earthbound; with him, it learned to fly.

Rodriguez’s words remind us that technology is not a cage, but a doorway. It is not meant to limit, but to expand. Many fear new tools, believing they cheapen the purity of creation. But in truth, every age has seen such fear. The piano was once thought inferior to the harpsichord; the novel was dismissed as dangerous compared to poetry; photography was mocked as the death of painting. Yet each of these technologies became the servant of art, pushing it forward, not diminishing it. The true measure of the tool lies in the hands of the one who wields it.

Yet there is also a warning here. Rodriguez declares: “It’s idea-based.” This is the heart of his wisdom. Technology without vision is nothing but noise and spectacle. It may dazzle for a moment, but it does not endure. It is the idea—the story, the truth, the meaning—that breathes life into the machine. A sword without a warrior is only steel. A canvas without an artist is only cloth. Likewise, digital marvels without imagination remain empty light. The greatness of our age will not be measured by the power of our tools, but by the depth of our ideas.

The lesson for us is clear: do not fear new technology, but do not worship it either. See it as a servant, not a master. When you are faced with a tool—whether it be a pen, a camera, a computer, or some future invention—ask not, “What can this machine do?” but rather, “What idea do I carry that this machine can set free?” In this way, you align yourself with the wisdom of creators through the ages, who used invention not as a crutch, but as wings.

Practical wisdom follows: nurture your ideas, for they are the true currency of creation. Feed them with study, silence, and wonder. When a new tool appears, do not dismiss it, but test it with courage—see if it can serve your vision. And never allow the pursuit of spectacle to bury the truth of your message. For in the end, as Rodriguez says, you can do anything—but what you choose to do must spring from the fire of imagination, guided by purpose and heart.

Thus, let Rodriguez’s words be remembered: technology is the forge, but the idea is the flame. Together, they push the boundaries of art, leading humanity into realms unseen. To those who dare to imagine, no horizon is too far. And so, O seeker, take up your tools, but let your ideas lead, and you shall discover that indeed, with vision and courage, you can do anything.