A Whole New Mind
| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Books |
| Genre: | Nonfiction |
| Author: | Daniel Pink |
This is a book I encountered while I was on one of those times when inexplicably, I just decided to put one foot after the other and nothing in particular that occupies my mind (except to count the steps I've already made). No, really it was just one of those times I was whiling away my time waiting for my wife to get off from her office. And as I am wont to do, I made a few left and right turns and found myself in one of those National Bookstore branches that abound around the Makati Glorietta-Greenbelt shopping complex.
After a rather cursory and idle scan of the store, my eyes fell on this quite odd-looking book. Odd in the sense that it's cover wasn't as colorful or gloriously laid-out as many of the other books on display were, but was among the so-called "Best Seller Section." It also appeared to be light reading judging from how thick or thin it was (no more than 300 pages). And of course the price was within my affordability level (being unemployed, that would mean anywhere from P190 to P250). And so, just after speed reading a few pages of its Introduction Section, I decided it might not be such a bad idea to actually buy it. And to really read it.
What I found was something rather surprising. I found the book thought-provoking. At the very least, I found the ideas of the author both unique and refreshing. The cover gives an insight of what I mean, i.e. in an age where information and knowledge rules, a shift appears to be in the offing - a shift where the creativity will give one the edge over routine and predictable processes.
If you, for any reason, wouldn't be able to get yourself a copy and read the book, here's an internet source (NOTE: This is not the complete book. This is just a teaser of sorts) - http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=3Xb_MDJQZnYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=a+whole+new+mind&source=bl&ots=MaCO5zKCMV&sig=5Glg4cEeIw7a3uTKXS37GDPZCR0&hl=en&ei=51z1S4y-NIa8rAebsoXWCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
But if you have little time to read the book in this form and would rather go for the what others think about it, here's a couple of links that will give you exactly what you want:
- http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/07/14/review-a-whole-new-mind/
- http://litemind.com/whole-new-mind/
And here you can download a .pdf file of an executive summary: http://www.gubing.com/wbl/books/A%20Whole%20New%20Mind.pdf
While I'd recommend this book to everyone, I would most particularly encourage those who are yet trying to discover what the future holds for them (and vice-versa) to read this book. In other words, para sa mga kabataan* ito :-)
*Kabataan - defined as anyone under 50 years old
I particularly like the book because I thought it really is an excellent dissertation on what is meant (and more) by what many people so casually refer to as "thinking out of the box."
ReplyDeletei wish i had time to read books again, now i can only do magazines, and a few pages at a time, at that. thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Chiara. Pasalamat din ako at kahit konti nai-singit mo in your hectic schedule ang pag-bisita sa multiply.
ReplyDeleteSo, let me give you what I think the main message is of the book - For the last couple of decades, command for information defined one's ability to get ahead of the game via the quantum leaps in technological developments. But along with such developments, access to information has also become easy and cheap (think Google and Wikipedia). And we're left with mountains of info. The function of the left brain hemisphere is no longer such a complex and difficult task. The challenge thus is how to harmonize or make sense or find purpose for all those information. This is the task of the right brain hemisphere.
This book explores six "right brain skills," i.e.
1. Design (not just function). Create solutions that go beyond providing the desired utility, but that are enriched with significance and pleasantness.
2. Story (not just argument). Create compelling narratives, enriching dry facts with emotion.
3. Symphony (not just focus). Synthesize and put pieces together, combine seemingly unrelated ideas and be able to see the big picture.
4. Empathy (not just logic). Be in the other guy’s shoes and learn to intuit feelings and read emotions.
5. Play (not just seriousness). Blur the solid line between work and play and embrace well-being, lightheartedness, laughter, games and humor.
6. Meaning (not just accumulation). Transcend the quest for material accumulation and pursue more significant desires. Find meaning in life and develop your intuition.
Understanding these six skills requires an extensive use of our right brain. And the extent of how we master these skills will determine how we will perform in the coming decades (or until a need for a new paradigm shift becomes apparent).
wow, i didn't know the right brain could do those. and i thought it was just about creativity and art, but then again, both encompass all that you have written here.
ReplyDeletethank you for the brief but enlightening summary, makes me want to go and buy the book and read it for myself. i see what it is saying and i'm liking it. it's a good reference to not just my line of work but to how we live life as well.
thanks again. =D
p.s. i find the cover design incongruous to what seems to be inside. funny, but also in this way the book also imitates real life, he he. ;P
that 190 to 250 could be my total meal expense for 1 day *wink*
ReplyDeletejust teasing you Chito....
that kind of reminds me of the chance thought I had when I read "Outliers"....although that was some time ago..I remember the portion about a test being done by asking an individual on what the purposes of a piece of brick could be...hmm...weird..(teka..Outliers ba yon..ang tagal ko nang di nakapagbasa ng librong di related sa aking work)
ReplyDelete