"A Whole New Mind" by Dan Pink

Essay by midstreet1High School, 11th gradeA+, June 2006

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In "A Whole New Mind", Dan Pink identifies the various aspects of thinking and the perceptive nature of the mind. In his forecast of the future he claims that right-brained careers are invulnerable to out-sourcing. This is a very deign outlook into an extremely captivating era of human growth. The ushering in of the "Conceptual Age" will only be a stepping stone in human existence and will serve as an evolutionary block bypassed by our own ingenuity. Right brained thinking is evident throughout history, and remains a part of many cultures around the world; it is also equally vulnerable to out-sourcing in this era of globalization.

Societal shifts throughout history have necessitated many changes from L-Directed thinking to R-Directed thinking. If a massive movement of right-brain thinkers were to flood the economy, an era of creativity will again be in demand. The Middle Ages like many great periods in history that preceded it, was influenced by demands in new ways of thinking.

People needed improved standards of living, greater security and a better understanding of the world around them. When these needs became attainable, new ideas especially those in arts and culture became highly needed. The change from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance is a direct example of the shift from L-Directed to R-Directed thinking. It led to an increase in conceptual thinkers who could, "detect opportunities... [and] combine seemingly unrelated ideas into [new] things" (3). Pink argues that in order to protect our future we must begin a shift toward R-Directed thinking now, but this solution is temporary. It is inevitable that the "Conceptual Age" will one day no longer represent the needs of the time, and return to an L-Directed era.

History is not the only indicator of this vulnerability; many...