A Whole New Mind, in review

As Philip and Lizzi mentioned on the course blog, Pink's book gives the reader a sense of empowerment. He's not knocking the "traditional" left-minded occupations, but he shows that everyone can afford to tap into his inner capacity for storytelling or empathy. We often look to office work as "dehumanizing," and the idea of sitting in a cubicle makes me cringe. Yet Pink describes a shift in the business world -- one towards aesthetic and emotional appeal rather than just numbers and dollars (although those will never cease to be motivating).

Although they weren't "mandatory," in a sense, I enjoyed reading the Portfolios between each section. Through these areas of additional information, Pink shows that the qualities he endorses are indeed attainable. The section on detecting a fake smile was especially revealing. I looked through the pictures on my computer and wondered how many of my friends' smiles had been fake for the moment of the picture (probably many, including mine). In regards to "Meaning," I actually walked in a labyrinth in New Mexico. While I wouldn't say that I had a transcendental experience, it forced a girl like me to slow down the pace and follow the lines that had been dictated for me. Granted, at any moment, I could have broken from the path and walked directly to the center. But that's not the point.