The quote highlights a fascinating aspect of intellectual exploration and innovation — the ability to bridge various disciplines to generate novel ideas. It suggests that 'time travelers,' metaphorically those who navigate different periods or paradigms of knowledge, excel because they can weave insights from diverse fields together. This interdisciplinary approach is crucial in fostering creativity, as it enables individuals to connect dots others might see as unrelated.

The celebration of hobbyists here is also quite insightful. Hobbyists often engage with multiple interests simultaneously and without the constraints imposed by formal specialization. This freedom and variety, symbolized by a cluttered study or garage full of different pursuits, act as fertile ground for cross-pollination of ideas. It implies that innovation thrives in environments rich in diversity and intellectual eclecticism rather than in siloed, narrowly focused disciplines.

Steven Johnson's book, "How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World," delves into the history of innovation by examining how unexpected connections across fields and eras sparked revolutionary changes. This quote captures the essence of that narrative beautifully: innovation isn't just the product of isolated genius within a single discipline, but arises largely from interdisciplinary exploration, curiosity-driven tinkering, and the blending of previously separate ways of thinking. It encourages embracing intellectual curiosity across various domains, fostering environments where cross-disciplinary dialogue can flourish, ultimately pushing forward the boundaries of human knowledge and technology.