A Whole New Mind

A Whole New Mind, by Daniel Pink, contends that the highly linear, logical and analytical skills prized during the Information Age no longer ensure success in the current economy. These skills, associated with such careers as law, accounting and computer programming are easily outsourced and off-shored in the modern age.

Pink states that three characteristics of the modern age, Abundance, Asia and Automation have led to a demand for new skills. Skills that are more holistic in nature that center on creativity and interpersonal relationships. The new emphasis on these skills not only requires a shift in perspective, but an actual shift in cognitive functioning. These skills such as design, empathy, synthesis, narrative etc. draw largely on the right hemisphere of the brain. In the past, the right brain has been largely ignored in favor to the highly analytical left hemisphere. This has been true in schools and business.

As educators, how do we meet the challenge of helping our students to develop a Whole New Mind?

Hot, Flat, and Crowded

This is the latest book by Thomas Friedman. It it, Friedman describes the impact that dirty energy is having on the world including:

• Climate Change
• Petropolitics
• Loss of biodiversity
• Energy supply and demand
• Energy poverty (Africa).

While Friedman paints a disturbing picture, he does believe that the need for clean energy presents a tremendous opportunity for the US or another nation willing to invest in innovative solutions.

We might want to consider including the need for clean energy as one of the issues on the crowd sourcing site.