Vook Rebiew V

-In Whole New Mind, Pink states that because of recent affluence, the burgeoning of technology (software that writes software, for eg.) and outsourcing: a world that grows smaller every day, the fact is, we are being nudged into a brand new era. Pink calls it the Conceptual Age, as plays out against the Agricultural, the Industrial, and the Information Ages.
-The Conceptual Age, he says, has, as its main characters "the CREATOR, and EMPATHIZER, whose distinctive ability is mastery of Right-Directed Thinking" (reference to the right brain).
- The "management meta-guru" Tom Peters says we have discovered our Copernicus for this brave new age in Daniel Pink. So I went to Wikipedia for Copernicus - 1473-1543 - astronomer, philosopher, a central figure in Europe, of the so-called Scientific Revolution, whose theory referred to the "changing fortunes of the kingdom of the world" a totally "deep" reference, in my opinion. I am quite taken with the idea of a world that is a kingdom, perhaps a plane of existence.
-Daniel Pink, though he deals with the white collar individual and the realm of exisitence entitled "economy" (instead of the sun, as did Copernicus) may have a handle on this kingdom in general, which is our world.

Vook Rebiew IV

In WNM by Dan Pink, ("Think Pink!") he states that our need now is to find things which are "pleasing to the eye, or compelling to the soul". He says: "it is woefully insufficient - in an age of abundance - to appeal only to needs which are RATIONAL, LOGICAL, AND FUNCTIONAL."

Let's go with "compelling to the soul". Isn't that the very essence, the quintessential definition of ART? I think it includes literature, dance and music, paintings and murals and crafts and drawings and comics, and theatre, movies, even stand-up comedy. It's all art, and mostly the reason we read, and attend, and look at, absorb and laugh, is it's because it's compelling to the soul, thank you Dan Pink.

As far as "age of abundance", we do have some reasons to turn about and ask questions, as to: "how does this relate?" With less abundance, are we less Right Brain? Or was this "economic downturn" caused by too much Right Brain? and do we move forward with ongoing Right Brain?

Vook Rebiew

A Whole New Mind, (WNM) by Dan Pink, says, in his introduction, and I quote,

"The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind -- creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers. These people -- artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers -- will now reap society's richest rewards and share its greatest joys."

I've read the book now three times. (I love it.) Mr.Pink does not ignore the Left Brain, but I must say I feel that most arts are always a combination of Left and Right. It's like mastering the scales on the piano, (left brain) so that great music and fun (right brain) can be performed by you on that instrument. Or learning which amounts of water will do what (left brain), with watercolors, so that art, and fun, (right brain) can be produced. What I'm talking about is the combination.

Vook Rebiew

In my Right Brain, I still totally want this book (A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink) to be current - I want the the emotions to still have something to say about reality in the business world.

I have just had two paintings accepted in one of my favorite galleries in the local art colony. And two more are requested to be framed. To me this is proof that "A Whole New Mind" is right on, even if we are in a recession. Because this is a first for me, I've been wanting it for decades.

If Art is still being bought, and at wonderful outrageous profit, as it seems to be, then there's hope for this Recession, even if I personally believe it will be a while to recover from it.......

More on WNM next time. (Although this is a book mostly about the Right Brain, there is a place for the Left Brain, too....)

Vook Rebiew

"A Whole New Mind," the book by Daniel H. Pink, is my passion this month, next to "Avatar" the "blue" movie.

Mr. Pink is a young man who used to write speeches for Al Gore when Mr. Gore was in the White House.

WNM (Whole New Mind) is a very current treatise, published in 2005, only 5 years ago....one of Mr. Pink's theories is that because of this age of abundance, people want more right-brain factors going on in their lives: beauty, uniqueness, and meaning. I love it. And there's lots more to it.

The interesting thing is that soon after the book was published, the economy took this huge downturn, that we're suffering from at this time (2010). Now it seems we're no longer in an age of abundance........and I'd like to address this, in reference to this excellent book, as my blog continues, in the next few days.