HUP102 Critical Thinking
Prof Joan Harmon
1/13/14
Revenge of the Right Brain
Q1. The differences between the Industrial Age, Information Age and the Conceptual age are explained by Daniel H. Pink.
Industrial Age: an age where work was more hands on. That 'anyone' could do it sort of attitude and focusing on a 'farmers' / factory worker role.
Information Age: an era where a lot of work was channeled through the left brain. Heavily reliant on logic , reasoning and crunched/coded numbers that defined the work that shaped society and jobs. It's very focused on being a analytic knowledge worker that can pinpoint selling markets and opportunities that are gained through information based on habits and numbers within society.
Conceptual Age: is currently an age where society starts to make
More use of the right brains abilities. Where the left brain provides logic and factual information (it's like a skeleton if you will), the right brain provides high concepts that make it more approachable and channel depth that isn't a cold product with out purpose or reliability. (The skin on the skeleton). It's to think outside the box by looking inside the box with the materials provided and making something more out of the materials provided that no one even realized. It's an age where people can become creators and form a connection with others in a sincere human way.
Q2. The social forces that H.Pink thinks are transitioning society from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age are three things: Asia, Automation and Abundance.
Pink thinks these three things are the reason for the transition between the ages. 1) Asia :provides more jobs and more financial gain due to the likeliness of providing costs that are a lot more cheaper and a lot more accessible to society than in the U.S. People could find others in Asia who could provide the same services for a cheaper price, making it easier to make a good deal/buck compared to the costly services in the US.
2) Automation : has changed the landscape of hands on work. What used to take a lot of money and time to hire lawyers and stockbrokers can now be taken care of more by the individual and a website that deals with financial information. It's changed the role of lawyers and stockbrokers alike by turning them in to advisers that allow for a more human element to be fulfilled. With websites that provide cheaper/affordable services, any individual could take it in their own hands instead of leaving it all to lawyers and brokers . This pushes lawyers and Brokers in those fields to become more face to face and human/accessible and understand their clientele instead of looking at them as a number.
3)Abundance: over consumption of consumer goods is another factor. Owning things that do not serve much a purpose other than owning. Due to abundance, has caused an inflation where now, consumers try to find relateability , purpose and function that allows for the consumer to feel as though they have gained an extension of themselves rather than having a product that only provides face value but no depth beyond its physical purposes.
Q3. Thinking with both the Left and Right brains are very beneficial and important. Where the left brain is strongest is using logic, and fact which helps individuals steer clear from any sort of legal or financial dangers that one without that sort of knowledge would fall into. It provides a safe and secure way of channeling through information without crossing unwanted information/ attention. But what the left brain lacks is personality and relay ability, which the Right Brain provides. The Right brain provides a friendly way of thinking or a more soulful way of gaining the attention of other would be individuals providing deep relationship between clientele. Providing solutions that can't only be solved by numbers , but by catching the eye and channeling soulful connection and purpose that helps transition thought into action.
