A Whole New Mind

Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

Daniel Pink

Recommended By

Book Reviews

Book Synopsis

"A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink explores the shift from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age and challenges the traditional view that left-brain thinking is superior. Through compelling research and thought-provoking anecdotes, Pink argues that right-brain skills such as creativity, empathy, and pattern recognition are becoming increasingly valuable in the workforce and society at large.

The book starts by analyzing the importance of the left-brain-dominated Information Age where logical, linear thinking and analytical skills reigned supreme. However, Pink makes a convincing case that the progression of automation, outsourcing, and abundance has rendered these skills less valuable and more easily replicable.

Pink then introduces the Conceptual Age, a new era where creativity and empathy become crucial for success. He highlights six essential aptitudes - Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning - that he believes individuals must cultivate to thrive in this age. Each aptitude is explored in depth, with practical advice on how to develop them.

Pink draws upon a wide range of disciplines, from psychology and economics to education and design, to support his argument. His engaging style and accessible writing make complex ideas easy to understand and relate to. He provides numerous examples of how individuals, organizations, and schools have embraced and benefited from right-brain thinking.

Furthermore, Pink provides examples of how individuals can adapt their skillset to meet the demands of the Conceptual Age, and identifies the emerging professions that require a more holistic and well-rounded approach. He emphasizes the importance of integrative thinking, how different disciplines can be combined to create innovative solutions.

In conclusion, "A Whole New Mind" challenges conventional wisdom and suggests that right-brain thinking is essential for success in the modern age. It offers valuable insights into how individuals can develop and embrace their right-brain aptitudes to thrive in a changing world. Whether you are a student, professional, or simply interested in the future of work, this book provides a roadmap for adapting and flourishing in the Conceptual Age.

Explore More Books

See All
Montaigne's Essays
Nourishing Traditions
Intellectual Life in the Middle Ages
The Museum of Other People
The Smartest Guys In The Room
Tao of Philosophy
A Wrinkle in Time
Mathematics: Its Content, Methods and Meaning
You Can Be a Stock Market Genius
The Overview Effect
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
All Over but the Shoutin'
Where Do School Funds Go?
Endure
The Captive Mind
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Razor's Edge
English Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit, 1850-1980
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Guns, Germs, and Steel
The Ride of a Lifetime
Creative Selection
The Alchemist
The American Story
All I Want to Know is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There
The Surrender Experiment
The Experience Machine
The God Delusion
Catching the Big Fish
A Guide To Econometrics
Hackers & Painters
The Unincorporated Man
Startup
The Origin of Species
The Wisdom of Crowds
Negotiating The Impossible
Rise of the Machines
The Bully Pulpit
Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish
Rick and Morty Book Two
The New New Thing
Recapturing The Spirit Of Enterprise
The Art of Asking
The Selfish Gene
The Fountainhead
Dictionary of Untranslatables
The Book of Why
Central Banking 101
Command
Lights Out
War Nerd
The Essays of Warren Buffett
The Rational Optimist
Principles of Economics
The Humanure Handbook
P53
Digital Gold
The Advantage
The Inner Studio
Infrastructure
Foundation and Empire
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis
Twilight of the Bombs
Energy Myths and Realities
Q.E.D.
The Act of Creation
How to Dress an Egg
The Heart
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
Albert Einstein
Incognito
An Agricultural Testament
Mindfulness in Plain English
The Omnivore's Dilemma
Discourses on Livy
Last Chance to See
Filters Against Folly
Altars of Unhewn Stone
The Dog Stars
Eradication
Why Globalization Works
In Praise of Slowness
An Unquiet Mind
The Power To Compete
The Friction Project
A History of Knowledge
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
Stalingrad
Skunk Works
We Learn Nothing
Automate This
Philosophy and Scientific Realism
The Amateur
Product Design for the Web
America's Cultural Revolution
Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
Very Good, Jeeves
The Kitchen Cookbook
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
The Power of Glamour