A Whole New Mind... Completed

It's not that there's that much to disagree with concerning Pink's analysis... it's just that all the things he says seem to be common sense. Ruling out a few problems that I have with the work--like using GM as a good example, or focusing on eastern meditation and laughing farms as the route to meaning--sure most of the stuff makes sense.

BUT... I teach high school kids. The video game aptitude is one of their strengths. Though I'm doubtful about all the learning that Pink says is going on in their minds while they're playing, if it does turn out to be true, they'll be in good shape.
Humor, empathy, meaning, story... well these aptitudes are another issue. I don't buy into the hype that if these qualities--or "senses"--are not present that survival becomes an issue, simply because we're talking about the majority of people. There are certainly students that I see coming through my classroom that display many if not all of these characteristics, but these students are usually advanced/honors/AP students. The vast majority of students are lacking in these areas...

Now, I do understand that part of my role as educator is to attempt to harness these senses--as well as the standard stuff--and I do take that role seriously. But, I suppose my biggest issue with "The Whole New Mind" is that it seems to imply that these 'senses' can be created.... or.....

In other words = I believe that I search for meaning in most things that I do because my father has always displayed the same + the fact that I believe in the Father and read the Scripture and that prompts and challenges my mind to move towards Truth.
I believe that I can empathize with people for much the same reasons, along with the fact that I read and read and read, and that I have travelled across most of this country as well as to India. This goes for ability to understand and create narrative as well....

But what about these students that have come all the way to 16 years of age without really being challenged to read? What about the students whose parent--notice the singularity--has to work or something and so has little time for her kid? What about the kid whose only reality with humor is SouthPark--and I don't mean the subtleties that Trey and Matt sometimes pull off ("they're takin' our jooooobbbs")--I mean the fact that there's a fat kid who says GodDammit a lot and a dancing turd?

So, after all that, I can see this transition to the so called Conceptual Age happening for the upper levels, but I cannot see it being sustained to handle the huge masses of kids who for whatever reason have certainly been left behind. I hope that I am wrong, mind you. I hope that programs like CHAD will flourish and spread... but how many kids have product design or fine arts in their futures? Is that something that can really drive the economy of the 21st century?