Summary
1) A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
The main thesis of A Whole New Mind is that the industrial age dominated by left-brain logical thinking is giving way to a new age known as “the conceptual age” guided by right-brain intuitive thinking.
There are 3 forces responsible
- Abundance- Our material needs have been met by quick-cheap items
- Asia- Pool of inexpensive labor doing routine (and not so routine) work cheaply
- Automation- Machines have taken over systematic work doing it better and faster than humans
The 6 Critical Competencies of the New Conceptual Age
- Design- Above and beyond just function
- Story- Not just selling facts but personal narratives
- Symphony- More than just focus, but harmony
- Empathy- Moving from logic to understanding
- Play- More than being serious
- Meaning- Past material accumulation
(Dan Pink offers resources in the book on how to learn these 6 critical competencies)
Pink suggests each business person (and/or student) in the Conceptual Age needs to ask themselves 3 key questions:
- Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
- Can a computer do it faster?
- Am I offering something that satisfies the non-material, transcendent desires of an abundant age?
This is critical information for any young person planning their future.
Video: A Whole New Mind