It's not one person that changes the world and it's not a cast of thousands, either.
In his book Powers Of Two, Joshua Wolf Shenk makes a compelling argument that creative genius and paradigm-shifting thinking comes not from the lone genius nor from the devoted team following the vision of a single leader. Rather, it's two people, collaborating, clashing, inspiring each other, conspiring against the doubters, finishing each other's thoughts, challenging each other, picking each other up when one is down, making each other better, that defines the best creative, business and personal relationships.
Steve Jobs had Steve Wozniak and later Jonathan Ive with him. Bill Gates had Paul Allan at the beginning of Microsoft and then Steve Ballmer after Microsoft became a global software juggernaut. John Lennon had Paul McCartney. The Coen brothers have each other. Bono has The Edge. Tegan has Sara. Ricky and Lucy. Abbott and Costello. Pierre and Marie Curie. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Shaq and Kobe. Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri. Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.
Shenk offers example after example about how even the most incredible genius is simply one hand clapping without a foil, a straight man, an antagonist, an enabler, a yin to their yang. Albert Einstein had Werner Heisenberg (and they both had Niels Bohr). Isaac Newton had Johannes Kepler. Elton John had Bernie Taupin.
The power of pairs is extraordinary.
As Shenk explains, a duo quickly adopts a "you and me against the world" ethic, which binds the couple together against outside forces. The duo then give permission to one another to be bold, be different, step outside of the boundaries and accepted norms. At the same time, neither tolerates anything less than excellence from the other. This fuels the creative juices for both sides to keep impressing, keep surprising.
For Beatles fans, Shenk devotes plenty of space to Lennon and McCartney. They agreed to share royalties on all songs, even if the other had nothing to do with the writing of certain songs. Lennon insisted on top billing and McCartney went along because he still got paid the same and a compromise there earned him a compromise in the studio, where it most mattered to him. Anything one did, the other quickly followed, even getting married, splitting up, getting new girlfriends and getting divorced.
For me, Shenk's insight into Lennon and McCartney makes most sense when I listen to Back In The U.S.S.R. and Dear Prudence, the first two songs on the White Album.
Back In The U.S.S.R. has all of the elements of a classic McCartney song, from its clear structure, and playful lyrics to its nod to pop history (well, the Ukraine girls really knock me out - ooh, wee, ooh). Yet it's McCartney trying to out-Lennon Lennon, with the rougher vocal delivery, the frantic beat and the aggressive guitar solo.
Dear Prudence, on the other hand, is Lennon holding up a mirror at McCartney. The lyrics are sweet and delicate, sung with a vulnerability over top of those chiming alternating chords. Only the "look around" bridge sounds completely Lennon, with its odd vocal accompaniment and background guitar. If McCartney had brought lyrics to a session like "the sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you," Lennon would have laughed poor Paul right out of that room. When Lennon did it, it was a sincere tribute to his creative partner and equal. The last time he sings that line in the song, it's followed by a piano reminiscent of more innocent Beatles songs, reminding listeners that despite the weirdness to follow on the record, the Beatles are never far away.
Neither song is possible without the powerful artistic temperament of the songwriter, combined with deep respect and appreciation for the other's talents. The outcome are two classic Beatles songs that intentionally flow into one another, just as Lennon and McCartney did.
Shenk doesn't dwell much on the business or sports applications of incredible duos and mostly avoids the romantic implications of the spark between two lovers but the powerful implications are clear.
Couples form the bonds that make the world go round in every way.
That's why one plus one equals infinity.
