The Conceptual Age

I am reading a great book at the moment called A Whole new Mind by D. H. Pink. Basically, he is putting forward the idea that we are now in the Conceptual Age, no longer the Information Age, where success was mainly found in Left (brain) directed thinking. We still need that, of course, but we need to engage the right part of our brains in equal measure, something that has been largely missing in the Information Age. The future, he says, belongs to the Creators and Empathisers. Obviously, as an artist, good news for me. But also really important as an educator endeavouring to equip young people with what they need for their lives. This amounts to more support of the idea that the arts need to be fundamental in education: my mantra for some years now.

 

Interestingly, he cites a case in the UK where Yale medical students (rather well known for their left-brainedness) are required to study paintings at the British Art Museum because it teaches them to look for detail and consequently makes them better diagnosticians and more user friendly doctors. I so wish that here in Oz there could be less banging on by bureaucrats re education and some more actual research into what is happening globally. 

 

Anyhoo, this is the book. I'll probably share more as I read. My link below is to Amazon, but undoubtedly it is available in 'all good book stores' and possibly in your local library.