From birth you're controlled by the things around you. Society shapes your idea of Right and Wrong by the help of your Parents who brought you to this world. Your entire life is tailored for you and by the time your brain is evolved enough to think for yourself and question what's around you it's too late. Because society has already dug it's way deep into you and reformed the person you were "supposed" to be to the person they "need" you to be.
The educational system and all world goverments do their best to make you into their "Slave" by telling you that everything you learn in school is what is required to proceed in the world. But no one teaches you to innovate and be your own man/woman, just follow the structure of those who came before you so that you can be just another pawn in the massive chess game that we call Life.
As things stands right now, few people have the choice and ability to form their own path in our world. Those who do either become shoved away by the "greater power" or locked away somewhere for being different from the "normality" in the world.
Nicola Tesla is a prime example of a person who was before his time and a prime example of someone who formed his own path. He worked beyond normal science and laid the foundation for many "great" things we use today. He made his own predictions about the future in which many have come true thanks to the help from his "lost" technology and research.