Why Does Daniel Pink Hate Me?

Hi all,
I just posted something new on my blog about the book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.. I know it's been very popular in the education community, and I can see why. We certainly need more creativity and freedom in education.

However, I found some things really bothered me about the book and I share them in my post.

The idea that you have to divide people into two camps, claim that one has been "ruling" over the other and that this must change is divisive. I don't know that I can support a call for creativity based on diminishing the accomplishments and gifts of some people and trumpeting others. Don't we as educators need to celebrate the gifts of all children, not talk about how one type of "mind" will "rule?"

I also found his examples really weak and the creativity exercises uninspiring. Perhaps my expectations were set too high, or perhaps I just took the attack on left-brainers personally.

Read and let me know what you think!

Tags: brain, creativity, daniel, left, mind, new, pink, right, whole

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Comment by Randy Rivers on April 18, 2008 at 11:35am: PS...that would be "Symphony" in Mr. Pink's parlance...

Comment by Sylvia Martinez on April 18, 2008 at 11:45am: Sarah, you could explain Twitter that way, but why? It does seem a stretch to use a metaphor about a metaphor to explain a simple human need for connection and community.

Scott, I grok that!

Randy, I find it disingenuous that Pink would claim to be a "left-brainer." Sorry. Doesn't compute.

Jeff, I agree. I also think it's insulting to previous generations to say that beauty or art appreciation is some sort of modern day trait. Henry Ford said, "you can have any color Model A as long as it's black" meant that he could economize on a standardized product, not that people didn't want a green car. Rich people could (and can) afford beautiful objects created and customized for their pleasure. Poor people couldn't (and can't).

All that said, I still believe that placing labels on people, especially children, is not good educational policy, whether based on pop-psych books, custom, or government mandate.

Comment by Karen Henke on April 18, 2008 at 7:12pm: Haven't read the book, but I saw Pink deliver his talk. He's very entertaining (a big part of why conferences pay high prices IMHO) and as mentioned above admittedly a left brainer. He even shows a slide of an attempt at a self portrait before and after taking a drawing class. As someone with the wrong "E" degree in Silicon Valley (English instead of engineering), I've seen the impact of being a creative rather than a math whiz in my income opportunities. But I wouldn't change a thing and believe that what I do as a writer is just as valuable to the community in which I live.

Comment by Lisa Linn on April 19, 2008 at 12:36pm: I enjoyed your post yesterday when I read it, and agree with most of the above responses, I'd also like to point out another discrepancy, While we do have left and right brain hemispheres, they seldom work independently. For example, mathematics is considered a left brain function, yet it corresponds with music which is a right brain function. Now, let me point you to a video that throws a huge wrench in the whole thing. This is about a neuro-scientist and an amazing experience she has. http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

Comment by Sylvia Martinez on April 19, 2008 at 6:27pm: Lisa - I really enjoyed that talk too. For those of you who haven't seen it, the speaker had a stroke and her talk is about her experience, both as the "victim" and as a scientist analyzing the process. Amazing, entertaining and thought-provoking. The perfect video to watch if you want either side of your mind blown ;-)

Comment by Sylvia Martinez on April 19, 2008 at 6:32pm: Randy,
I don't see many valid uses of data in Pink's book. I see a lot of anecdotes, some of which have numbers attached, but highly selective and often out of context. In my book, that is not using data.

If you have an example of where you think he uses data analysis well, I'd like to talk about it.

Comment by Lisa Linn on April 19, 2008 at 6:42pm: OK, I've had the book for awhile, but just started it today. Sylvia, Pink doesn't hate you, he envies you! You may be predominantly left-brained, but you won my allegiance with your empathy and understanding. As a right brained type, I would be very fearful that righties will "take over" anything, nothing concrete would ever be accomplished!

Comment by Kevin on April 19, 2008 at 8:57pm: In my experience, it is when you have a well balanced team composed of linear and non-linear, creative and analytical thinkers that you can do amazing things. I don't like the left/right brain model because it often leads to over simplifying ideas that are incredibly complex and nuanced.