What is the main message of A Whole New Mind?

The main message of A Whole New Mind is that the future belongs to creators, empathizers, and big-picture thinkers.

How long does it take to read A Whole New Mind?

The reading time for A Whole New Mind varies, but the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

Who is the author of A Whole New Mind?

Daniel H. Pink is the author of A Whole New Mind.

Creativity

A Whole New Mind Book Summary - A Whole New Mind Book explained in key points

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A Whole New Mind summary

Name: A Whole New Mind
Rating: 4.5 (184 reviews)
Author: Daniel H. Pink

Daniel H. Pink

Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

4.5 (184 ratings)

19 mins

Brief summary

A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink is a thought-provoking book that argues artistic and creative skills are becoming essential in the 21st century. It offers actionable steps to develop these skills while adapting to the changing world of work.

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Innovation Design Creative Flow

Table of Contents

A Whole New Mind
Summary of 9 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 9

Our brain has two parts: the left hemisphere for details and the right hemisphere for more holistic, big-picture thinking.

Since ancient times, people have assumed a division of the brain into a left and a right hemisphere, a neurological divide that has been supported by modern science.

While today we know that every activity we engage in requires cooperation between both the right and left hemisphere, we are also aware that each hemisphere takes the dominant role in certain activities. Generally, we can say that the left hemisphere focuses on breaking things into details, while the right hemisphere is in charge of providing the broader picture.

These differing roles can be seen, for instance, in the context of language use. Much of our language originates in the left hemisphere, where we process symbols in sequence (for example, when reading). However, the right hemisphere also plays an important role by allowing us to take a step back from the language itself and interpret the context of the message. Without our right cerebral hemisphere, we would not be able to understand irony or metaphors.

Reasoning is another area where the hemispheres have different, complementary roles:

Responses that originate from the left are derived from what we have learned in the past. If someone points a gun at you, it’s the left hemisphere that tells you to be alarmed because you have learned that guns are dangerous.

The right hemisphere, on the other hand, doesn’t recognize the gun, but it can draw on more intuitive knowledge and recognize other signs of danger, like an angry facial expression. The fact that all cultures tend to interpret facial expressions similarly illustrates how natural and intuitive these functions of the right hemisphere are.

We have always sought to understand which part of our brain is responsible for different activities. Today we know that although the two halves are constantly cooperating, they specialize in different ways of thinking.

Our brain has two parts: the left hemisphere for details and the right hemisphere for more holistic, big-picture thinking.

Historically, the importance of the right side of the brain and the way of thinking it represents has been undervalued.

Ever since we discovered that the left side of the brain is responsible for more analytical tasks, it has been viewed as being of greater importance than the right side.

But where does this idea of the hemispheres being “separate but unequal” come from?

As we move from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, Right-Directed Thinking is becoming more and more important.

Today, we live in an era of abundance enabled by left-brain thinking.

How?

Design: In an age of material abundance, design has become crucial for most modern businesses.

If you look around, you’ll find that every object in sight has been carefully designed, from the furniture you’re sitting on to the clothes you’re wearing.

But what constitutes good design?

Story: To be successful today, presenting facts is not enough; you must know how to tell stories.

Throughout history, telling stories has been an integral part of the human experience. We tend to remember stories far better than individual facts, and we also tend to see our lives as stories: they begin somewhere and unfold from there into a certain direction. Looking at life as a story gives us a sense of purpose and meaning.

In the Information Age, factual knowledge was very important: knowing more than others allowed you to stand out from the crowd. Yet nowadays, as we move into the Conceptual Age, facts can be accessed easily online, and so knowledge has become less relevant.

Symphony: Putting the pieces together is more important than taking them apart.

In the past, what was important in most jobs was the ability to acquire knowledge. Typically, this was done by looking at a complex topic, taking it apart and memorizing the individual pieces of knowledge it consists of. This approach is also emphasized by the modern education system: disassemble and memorize.

But today, as knowledge is widely available (for example, online), it is no longer necessary to store individual facts in your memory. Instead, what has become important is an aptitude for symphony: being able to combine individual elements and put them together to form something greater, much like a composer or conductor does with music.

Empathy: As computers take over more and more tasks, abilities unique to people, such as empathizing with others, become more important.

Many of the jobs that existed in the Industrial Age and Information Age are increasingly being taken over by computers and machines – for example, assembly-line work and data analysis.

In the face of this development, it is comforting to know there are some tasks that computers will never be able to do. While any work that can be reduced to a set of rules that must be followed can be given to machines or outsourced to other countries, tasks that demand a deeper understanding of the subtleties of human interaction are more immune to such developments.

Play: Lightheartedness will likely play an ever more important and beneficial role both at work and outside of work.

You may have heard that one should not mix business with pleasure, or work with play. But today, introducing elements of play, meaning humor and lightheartedness, into all areas of life is not only more common but necessary.

To understand how much more prevalent the element of play is, consider the huge industry that has grown around video games. They are now an essential part of the lives of young Americans, with half of the population over six years of age playing video games.

Meaning: Now that our material needs are met, we search for meaning, purpose and fulfillment in life.

Most people feel the desire to seek some kind of meaning in their lives; it is a fundamental drive in humans and has become one of the essential aptitudes of the Conceptual Age.

Nowadays, with aging populations and the constant threat of terrorism, and with increasing prosperity thanks to technological advancement, spiritual and immaterial concerns are becoming of profound importance to people.

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What is A Whole New Mind about?

In an age where computers and well-trained workers from low-paid countries are taking over even white-collar jobs, what can you do to stand out? As we move out of the Information Age and into a new Conceptual Age, the answer is to start embracing the aptitudes associated with the right side of your brain, which were previously thought of as less valuable than analytical left-brain skills.

A Whole New Mind Review

A Whole New Mind (2005) explores the shift from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age and why it is crucial to develop right-brain thinking skills. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It provides fascinating insights on how the roles of creativity, empathy, and imagination are becoming increasingly important in the future job market.
Through compelling examples and case studies, it convincingly argues that developing right-brain thinking is essential for personal and professional success in the 21st century.
The book's engaging exploration of the six senses—design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning—makes it a captivating read that challenges traditional notions of intelligence.

Who should read A Whole New Mind?

Anyone who wants to discover the difference between 20th-century work and 21st-century work
Anyone interested in the concept of “right-brain” thinking
Anyone who wants to develop the right skills to succeed at work in the modern age

About the Author

Daniel H. Pink is an American author of bestselling books on business, management and work. A Whole New Mind (2005) was a long-running New York Times and BusinessWeek bestseller and has been translated into 20 languages.

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