Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative

This is a "New Edition, Fully Updated" of a book first published in 2001. Why a second edition? As Ken Robinson explains in his Preface, "...the first reason is that so much has happened since [2000], both in [begin italics] the [end italics] world and in [begin italics] my [end italics] world...The second reason for this new edition is that I now have more to say about many of the core ideas in the book and what we should do to put them into practice...The third reason is, not only has the world moved on in the last ten years, I have too. Literally."Robinson responds to three separate but related questions:o Why is it essential to promote creativity?o What is the problem?o What is involved?Throughout his lively and eloquent narrative, Robinson develops and explores three separate but interdependent themes: "We are living in times of revolution"; "If we are to survive and flourish we have to think differently about our own abilities and make the best use of them"; and, "In order to do so we have to run our organizations and especially our education systems in radically different ways."These are among the dozens of passages that caught my eye:"The evolution of the Internet has been driven not only by innovations in technology but also by unleashing the imaginations and appetites of millions of users, which in turn are driving further innovations in technology." (Page 41)"Current systems of education were not designed to meet the challenges we now face. They were developed to meet the needs of a former age. Reform is not enough; they need to be transformed." (49)"All truth passes through three stages;First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."-- Arthur Schopenhauer (81)"When people find their medium, they discover their real creative strengths and come into their own. Helping people to connect with their personal creative capacities is the surest way to release the best they have to offer." (139)"Being sensitive to oneself and to others is a vital element in the development of the personal qualities that are now urgently needed, in business, in the community and in personal life. It is through feelings as well as through reason that we find our real creative power. It is through both that we connect with each other and create the complex, shifting worlds of human culture." (196)"Creating a culture of innovation will only work if the initiative is ked from the top of the organization. The endorsement and involvement if leaders means everything, if the environment is to change." (219)"Creativity is not about a lack of constraints; often it is about working within them and overcoming them. The dynamics of culture are such change travels in all directions. With the power of the Internet and of social networking, ideas and innovations can move quickly and inspire others to action. Sensitive policy makers will feel the change and may even say it was their idea." (266)There have been hundreds (thousands?) of books and articles published in recent years that explore one or more aspects of creativity. What differentiates Robinson's book from all them are the scope and depth of focus on how and why to think differently about learning to be creative in [begin italics] all [end italics] domains of human experience. While reading and then re-reading this book, I was reminded of Walt Whitman's assertion in Song of Myself:"Do I contradict myself?Very well then I contradict myself,(I am large, I contain multitudes.)"As he also does in an earlier book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, Ken Robinson urges those who read his latest book to think creatively about who they are ("large") and how they will explore and develop all dimensions of their humanity ("multitudes"). Moreover, especially to those with direct and frequent contact with children, he affirms the importance of helping others to do so. May reason guide and passion drive these noble initiatives.

Out of Our Minds (2011) I have mixed emotions about this. On the one hand I realize that this is just one man' opinion, but, on the other hand, it is obvious that he is a professional and has given it a lot of thought! It reminds me of  In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies (Collins Business Essentials) , which I had on an audio cassette to play in my car during my commute (hey, it beats listening to mindless stuff on the radio! Try it; you'd be surprised how many books you can read in a year that way! Bottom line I believe everybody who has an interest in children school curriculum should read this and at least start a conversation! Personally, I am philosophically in disagreement with the author's opinion on the Arts and Humanities. Oh, they are nice IF YOU HAVE COVERRED THE BASICS FIRST! I got my degrees in Accounting (BBA) and Decision Sciences (MDS), so that I could make a decent living! I did the Arts and Humanities on my own time, as I could afford it, I never think you should pay more per year in tuition and fees than you can make when you graduate! That being said I did buy a copy for my Son-In-Law who is getting his PhD in Curriculum Development.I highly recommend this to anybody interested in curriculum development, it should be required reading for anybody on a School Board!Gunner August, 2012

… is what my grandad might have said about this book.How people learn, and what they are meant to be learning, is the substance of this book. It follows on from the main body of his research and practice: that modern educational institutions and practice are manifestly inadequate to deal with the challenges thrown up by the 21st century world we live in.How should we deal with them? He decries the "more of the same, more of it, and more onerous" traditionalism that conservative governments force educational bureaucracies to adopt, redoubling their efforts when they have forgotten their aim, which is a common definition of fanaticism. 'Creativity', that wonderful panacea for all ills, is to Sir Ken the lodestone of our educational journey.I agree. Time spent in reflection and assimilation of knowledge reinforces it in our weltanschauung. It leads us to go looking for new explanations, and keying new knowledge into old in a graceful and effective way.He skims a bit too quickly over several worldwide problems, or omits discussing them: the over-qualification, or thwarted aspirations of people who cannot find meaningful work, the overproduction and overconsumption at the heart of our 'economy', which is steadily and rapidly destroying our ecology. All these problems are linked, and they have roots way down in the way we conceive of the world in this society at this time. It is a philosophy largely borne of a fear and loathing of life.Being clever and innovative monkeys is sore comfort when our forest homes are being uprooted and chopped up to feed some abstract, logical Euclidean bonfire, and it's the bigger monkeys that are ordering this done. The bigger monkeys have their own protected forest enclave.Inequity and conservative rhetoric justifying inequity should be the topic of Sir Ken's next book (rather than the cosying up to large corporates that he tends towards here): how we educate people to look through doublespeak and construct accurate world views, and not be bowed down by apathy and the contempt of the powerful. I'd pay to go and hear him and George Monbiot in conversation on this topic. I'd even buy the resulting book.

Everyone should SELF EDUCATE, and think for themselves. Fantastic human being.

The book is extremely helpful for those who are directly or indirectly associated with educational system and are not satisfied with it. It will definitely help me in my quest to bring a change in the way our new generation is treated in schools.

Book came perfectly as described. Not exactly my favourite book in the world, but I needed it for school, and Amazon has the best price by far.

I really enjoyed the TED talk from Sir Ken Robinson, but the book give you the chance to further investigate on the topic. I would say its a must for a parent that is worried about his kids education. (And should be Essential to read teacher and anyone responsible in anyway for kids education!)

One of the finest minds of our times, performing a brilliant writing style, capturing attention all over the book.Intelligent and creative book.

La renommée de Sir Ken Robinson n'est plus à faire... Un touche-à-tout dans le domaine de la créativité, travaillant avec de nombreuses entreprises et organisations, éminent orateur aux conférences TED, l'auteur vous emmène dans les coulisses de la créativité et ouvre largement l'esprit d'entreprendre et d'innover. Je vous le recommande chaudement.