The transition and evolvement Daniel Pink describes in his book, A Whole New Mind, from a society of farmers to the most recent society that consists of Cultural Creatives, was very eye opening to me. When Pink states that a “whole new mind” is necessary to survive in the conceptual age in which we now live, I was initially at a loss for what that meant in terms of how I should use my education to obtain this new mind or way of thinking. I realize that there is both physical and spiritual connections throughout an artists work that are necessary for their success and physical survival. What Pink explains as a development of the conceptual age is the desire in every creator to empathize and sympathize with those around them, to plant seeds in minds and hearts, and to satisfy the needs of a society that lacks very little.
The three questions Pink asks in terms of an artist’s survival are blunt and easy to understand. However, I have noticed that an abundance of products are made and sought after in the U.S. that could indefinitely be made for cheaper in another country, could be made faster by a computer, and yet there is still a high demand for them. Independent creators often sell their work on websites like Etsy, where handmade or self produced objects are treasured and sought after. I am confident that many products sold in independent boutiques and at craft and art fairs were not made in the most efficient way, but the trending notion that handmade things are cool and unique causes their work to be in high demand. There is not always an immediate need that their work fills, but there is a desire to have something someone made and to connect with the product in some way that could not be found in something that has been mass-produced and sold in every store. This is usually not a need for the object itself, but a need for the connection and meaning behind the product, which is an aspect Pink means in his statement that “…meaning is the new money.”
Where there is a unique story behind someone’s work, there is a deeper fulfillment that enhances the artist and viewer or consumer’s life. In this conceptual stage of society, the ability to find joy in one’s work becomes essential to obtaining the high concept mindset and high touch qualities that Pink’s Cultural Creatives should have. I find it very comforting to know that IQ is becoming less important than the hearts and souls of the people at work, and that there is a greater purpose that artists and creators should never stop reaching for. I learned from Pink that we, as the creatives in this world of new minds, must always strive to perform work that allows us to develop positive perspectives centered around caring and meaning, rather than competition and the gain of wealth.