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A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
 
 
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A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future [Paperback]

Daniel H. Pink (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (301 customer reviews)

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Book Description

March 7, 2006
The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn't.

Drawing on research from around the world, Pink outlines the six fundamentally human abilities that are absolute essentials for professional success and personal fulfillment-and reveals how to master them. A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and a provocative and necessary new way of thinking about a future that's already here.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With visionary flare, Pink argues that business and everyday life will soon be dominated by right-brain thinkers. He identifies the roots and implications of transitioning from a society dominated by left-brain thinkers into something entirely different—although at times, he seems to be exhorting rather than observing the trend. As a narrator, Pink delivers in a well executed manner, with occasional hints of enthusiasm. He maintains a steady voice that is well suited for a business-oriented text, and his crisp pronunciation and consistent pace keeps listeners engaged and at ease. Updated with new material. A Riverhead paperback (reviewed online). (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

Will give you a new way to look at your work, your talent, your future.

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Riverhead Trade; Rep Upd edition (March 7, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1594481717
  • ISBN-13: 978-1594481710
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (301 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel H. Pink is the author of four provocative books about the changing world of work -- including the long-running New York Times bestseller, A Whole New Mind, and the #1 New York Times bestseller, Drive. His books have been translated into 32 languages.

In 2011, Harvard Business Review and Thinkers 50 named him one of the top 50 business thinkers in the world.

A graduate of Northwestern University and Yale Law School, Pink lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and their three children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
442 of 547 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The central premise of this book is that people with slightly more right-brain skills will dominate the work force in the 21st century... or at least be much more important than the past 20 years. I bought this book because that is a premise I agree with, so I was curious to see how he demonstrated his point, or any advice he could offer.

What I got was page after page of uninformed conjecture, hyperbole, cliches, and self-important blather. His premise? Left-brained work has dominated the industrial age, and the next "phase" of human development is what he decided to label the "conceptual age," where right-directed people will dominate.

Really? You really think that? That's a hell of a statement... I hope you can back it up with some hard data... statistics, job growth numbers, etc? Anything?

Nope.

He claims the drivers towards the "Conceptual Age" are Abundance, Asia, and Automation. That's it. No further proof. Let's take these one at a time:

Firstly, because of "Abundance", people are looking for better designs, even for ordinary household tools... thus designers become important. And apparently this is a new idea??? He believes that the words from the latest CEO of GM -- who said his job is to produce works of art that people drive -- as being somehow monumental. Oh my god! GM designs cars! They now care about "form" as well as "function!"

Really??? You really think that's a new thing? So I guess then those fins on a 1956 Chevy are there for aerodynamic purposes... and the mountains of chrome were there to make it more visible at night. Apparently the author is equally ignorant of the real drivers of the "left-brained" industrial revolution in the 19th century: the production of cheap textiles for clothing. YEP! The industrial revolution existed for the benefit of fashion designers and other "right brained" people who were tired of the ordinary abundance of the tunic. And how much of the computer revolution existed because people wanted a more "personalized" computer experience for their home or business? Ever hear of the iMac???

The author should try to do some research once in a while...

Secondly, because of "Asia," a lot of left-brian jobs -- computer programming, accounting, and legal -- are moving to Asia. Whereas right-brian jobs that require artistic design, communication, empathy, play, and meaning stay right in the USA. Since these jobs are "high-touch" jobs, they can't be outsourced.

Really??? You really think right-brain jobs cant be outsourced? I got a graphic designer in the Philippines who says differently. I got a dozen "empathy hotlines" you can call if you're feeling like killing yourself, and they'll do a hell of a lot better talking you down from the ledge than your friends or family. I also know of some really good customer support centers in India who are highly trained in empathic communication. Ever hear of teleconferencing or telepresence? Right-brained jobs are just as easily outsourced with the right technology.

Jobs are moving to Asia for one basic reason: SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Nothing more. Most American businesses prefer American workers, simply because culture differences, currency exchange rates, and time zones are a pain to deal with... but Asian workers are so much cheaper that they are worth the extra pain. However, these wages are only low in Asia because Asian industries are not big enough to demand local software developers, lawyers, and accountants. Once Asia becomes more industrialized, local businesses will be demanding up the local talent... which decreases their supply... which drives Asian wages up... which makes American talent more attractive to American businesses again.

This is just cyclical unemployment on a global scale: no more. Again... some research by the author would have been nice...

Thirdly, because of "Automation," those who just follow a well-defined process will be easily replaced by robots, computers, or Asians (apparently). In other words... technology eliminates low-skill jobs. SHOCKER! But of course, this isn't actually true. As any economics professor will tell you, technology is disruptive, but it doesn't eliminate jobs in the long run. The simple fact is that workers who learn how to use the new technology become more productive, and therefore more valuable to their employers! Yes, job responsibilities shift around a bit, but overall productivity increases, which creates more jobs in the medium term.

Then the author goes on to the second section of the book, which contains anecdotes about what skills will be important in the 21st century: design (agree), story (maybe), "symphony" (give me a break...), empathy (big agreement there), play (agree), and meaning (agree). The stories are good reading, but they are never supported by any hard data. There is evidence of a fad, but no evidence of a trend.

The single saving grace of this book are the right-brain exercises. They are pretty fun ways for a left-brain-leaning person to step out of their comfort zone and flex the right brain a little. If you find this book in the bargain bin for $5, then its worth it just for the exercises.

Otherwise, you'll probably want to avoid it...
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32 of 39 people found the following review helpful
A Pink Mind June 6, 2010
Format:Paperback
A Whole New Mind By Dan Pink (Riverhead Books, 2006). Reviewed by Steve Gladis,Ph.D.

Just as Picasso was in his "blue period," I think I'm in my "pink period"...Dan Pink that is. I just read A Whole New Mind, which I should have read years before, and which I think describes me better than my mother would have. In fact, I think Pink and I may have come from the same mother ;). Cherished for years and oft repeated in whole or part: "The truth is, a great mind must be androgynous" (Samuel Taylor Coleridge). In this book, Pink helped me understand once and for all why as a poet masquerading as an FBI agent, I always felt "weird." A right-brainer living in a world of alpha left-brainers. Perhaps that's why Dan (a lawyer by education) ended up as a speechwriter for Al Gore, and I ended up writing speeches for several directors of the FBI. Could we have been twins separated at birth?

He argues convincingly that we're moving from an Information Age to a Conceptual (creative/inventive) Age, because of: Abundance (we're living at the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs), Asia (left-brained work is outsourced there because it's been commoditized, and thus cheaper), and Automation (things that are solved by a strict set of rules--heuristics--are better crunched by microchips). He argues that in the coming age those with more inventive minds will be more valued. And he argues these points well--remember Dan's a lawyer--at least, a recovering one.

In the rest of the book, Dan describes what he calls the "Six Senses ." 1) Design--making things not only functional but engaging by design; 2) Story--developing a compelling narrative from the data; 3) Symphony--seeing the big picture and gathering seemingly desperate parts into a harmonious whole; 4) Empathy--fostering caring relationships with our family, friends and colleagues at work; 5) Play--the need to have fun at whatever you do; 6) Meaning--seeking purpose and the greater good seems to define us uniquely as humans.

I'll be reviewing Dan's book in some depth on my blog: [...]. I highly recommend you buy a copy and underline the hell out of it as I did. There's a ton of useful, important information that I won't have the space to mention. Thanks to Dan for writing this classic.
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21 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I came across this book at the local dollar bookstore, where
for one buck, it seems hard to ever go wrong.

The premise of the book is that, to survive in the "conceptual age",
"left-brain" thinking/analysis is not sufficient, and that the most successful
people will be those who better use their right hemispheres. The author cites three
reasons for this shift to the right brain: automation and Asia (left brain rule-based tasks
are now being performed by both computers and cheaper white-collar Asian workers), and
abundance (there is more need than ever for inventors and designers).

Although there are some partial truths to his observations, in general I find this outlook a bit shallow
and myopic in perspective.

For one, the author seems to believe that this pipeline of cheap foreign labor will last forever. But we have to
remember that the US exports both knowledge and culture in enormous quantities (for example, the majority
of students who enroll in my computer-science graduate courses are from other countries;
especially China and India), and
these exports spurn more industry abroad which will have the effect of improving the quality of life abroad;
and hence driving up labor costs in those countries.

Secondly, ALL human intelligence is subject to automation, or at least an attempt to automate.
For example, playing chess requires a combination of mathematical-logical, spatial, and what the author refers to as "symphonic" intelligence. Many chess players think of themselves as artists. And many artists are inspired by
the game of chess.

Rather than limit oneself to the six right-brain skill areas identified in the book (design, story, symphony,
empathy, play, and meaning), all of which are to supposedly save us from losing our jobs, I prefer
Harvard University professor Howard Gardener's multiple intelligences; and advocate the development of all of them
to fully experience the best of what humanity has to offer. The intelligences are
1. Spatial: spatial judgment and the ability to develop novel internal images within the mind
Exercises: visiting museums, playing video games, studying geometry, designing, drawing, sculpting
2. Linguistic: the ability to use words, spoken or written
Exercises: writing a story, essay, or poetry, public speaking, reading books of all types, learning a
foreign language, acting
3. Logical-mathematical: the ability to reason, think abstractly, and have number sense.
Exercises: studying science, mathematics, and philosophy, computer programming, solving puzzles
4. Bodily-Kinesthetic: the ability to navigate within the physical world
Exercises: sports, yoga, walking, running, biking, weight lifting, dancing
5. Musical: the ability to play and appreciate music
Exercises: learning to play an instrument, listening to instrumental and orchestral music, writing a
musical composition, singing
6. Interpersonal: the ability to interact, communicate and empathize with others
Exercises: studying the art of listening; socializing, play acting
7. Intrapersonal: the ability to understand oneself, and reflect on oneself; understanding one's own needs,
personal strengths, and weaknesses.
Exercises: going for a quite walk, sitting in complete silence, meditating, keeping a journal
8. Naturalistic: the ability to relate to and observe one's natural surroundings
Exercises: going for a walk in a nature park, observing nature (birds, plants, flowers, butterflies, etc.)

For example, what the author calls "story telling", falls into linguistic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.
Symphony falls within musical, spatial, intrapersonal, and possibly even naturalistic. And "play" can fall into
any number of these intelligences.

By the way, if there is an age in which we are entering, I would call it the "ubiquitous intelligence" age, in which
our personal, social, and work environments are filled with intelligent agents that help us lead more
productive, satisfying, and meaningful lives. The UA age will require us to harness all of the above intelligences
with the help of technology. And, like the conceptual age, it will require many more inventors and designers than
exist today. That is one message of the book that I do agree with. Many of these new designers and inventors will
come from the US, and many more will come from Asia, as that continent begins to further adopt western culture
and technology.

In conclusion, the book did offer some interesting ideas on how to enhance work through storytelling, empathy, design, humor,
games, and finding meaning; and it did provide some good exercises for developing these traits. It seems hard to disagree that
these traits can enrich one's life and the workplace. However, if I had to give advice to someone on how to maintain their
marketability in a fast-changing world, for starters I would suggest that each day one attempt to learn something new about
his or her chosen field. Also, keep a current view of the forest, but also force yourself to learn new things that
seem challenging and move you out of your "comfort zone".
One new piece of information or added skill can make a world of difference in one's outlook and potential.
In the end each person is his or her own employer.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Quick and easy read
This book arrived on time and was in perfect condition. I purchased it for a public administration class. Read more
Published 18 hours ago by rcwriter
A Really Thought Provoking Read...
There are some predictable naysayers in this review section, but then, "Angry Critic Guy" is nothing new to Amazon. Read more
Published 8 days ago by James M. Nolan
A creative and insightful plan
Daniel Pink is delightfully humorous writer-easy to read. He offers an optimistic view of major changes currently happening in our world today. Read more
Published 12 days ago by dehsa
A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
[[ASIN:1594481717 A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future]

Timely delivery and a must read book!!! Read more
Published 1 month ago by PMD
FANTASTIC BOOK...don't listen to the one-star haters...
This book is incredible. Even if you don't completely agree with Pink's logic, it's inspiring and interesting. Read more
Published 1 month ago by hannarae
Daniel Pink on Drive, The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.
I just finished reading Daniel H. Pink's book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. The point of the book may be summed up by Pink's tweet: "Carrots & sticks are so... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ikhide
More than lives up to the hype
I read this book in 2010 admittedly a bit skeptical about all of the hype. After all, how many books live up to this type of coverage and praise? Well, this one does. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Phil Simon
Premise is flawed and dated
The author is on the bandwagon that a MFA is the degree of the future and that we can protect our jobs from being automated or offshored by learning to Design Beauty, Tell Stories,... Read more
Published 2 months ago by kindle fire
Opens a stage for thought and discussion
This book can be picked up from the library, not worth buying. In fact I would rather read about the topic online. Read more
Published 2 months ago by GG Sophia
Makes sense!
This book makes such sense. Like it or not, many of the jobs and tasks that are considered "left brained" are now being performed in other countries or by computers. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jen
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The first thing they do is attach electrodes to my fingers to see how much I sweat. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
digital storytelling, narrative medicine, design sensibility
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Conceptual Age, United States, L-Directed Thinking, R-Directed Thinking, Information Age, John Henry, New York City, America's Army, New Yorker, General Motors, Industrial Age, Dalai Lama, United Kingdom, Johns Hopkins, Betty Edwards, Garry Kasparov, World Bank, Viktor Frankl, Right Side of the Brain, Daniel Goleman, Cultural Creatives, Paul Ekman, Times New Roman, Michael Graves, Simon Baron-Cohen
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