Why right-brainers will rule this century | Hacker News Reader

Why right-brainers will rule this century

cnn.com

10 pointsmshafrir13 comments

Gee, here I was hoping that pop-psych trivializations of brain hemisphere lateralization would be dethroned this century...

Any article that relates programming to accounting is pretty suspect.

Have you ever studied accounting (not bookkeeping)?

Accounting is actually quite a nuanced, creative field. When used for good it can really enhance business decision making.

Indeed, I suspect the article is simply wrong on all counts.

That's precisely what I was going to point out.

"Your left brain is logical, linear, by-the-numbers; the right side is creative, artistic, empathetic (...) our country is entering a new era -- the so-called conceptual age -- during which right-brained skills such as design and storytelling will become far more crucial than traditionally left-brained skills such as accounting and computer programming."

That implies that computer programming is "linear" and non-creative. Draw your own conclusions. Why is design right-brained, but not programming? All in all, here's a prime example of bad journalism: an orgy of labels, and absolutely no content.

Moreover, even accounting can be creative. Just ask Andy Fastow, Enron's former CFO...

It's an overly simplistic interpretation. The more poignant way to frame this would be a specialist-vs-generalist view; if you're overly specialized and never crawl out of your hole you miss opportunities for synergy.

Programming is a good "glue" for generalist approaches because it acts as a stepping stone to automatizing a specialized process.

The book is pretty weak, I actually read it. How do these people get on Oprah? Just this interview probably sold 10 000 copies.

See, you say that because you're analytical and check the facts. That kind of stuff is being exported to Asia. You gotta be holistic and big-picture, man!

He got on Oprah because he targets Oprah's demographic: credulous childrearing-age women. It really boils down to that fact alone, and being good doesn't enter into it.

As if to prove my point, I'm reading that Oprah is producing a new talkshow starring Jenny McCarthy, with the intent of promoting McCarthy's vaccines-are-bad crusade.

Science: NOT OPRAH'S STRONG POINT.

I think your comment has answered your question quite aptly.

Left handed people are the only ones in their right minds :)

I read the book. He says left-brained thinking, the West's strength, is doomed because of 3 'A's; Automation, Asia, and Abundance. One irony is, that Asians (all right, Chinese) are supposed to be more holistic (to my mind, right-brained) in their perception anyway (remember the 'picture of the tiger' story? Picture of a tiger in a jungle, Westerners say it's a tiger, Chinese describe more of the environment). So, at least by this possibly shallow interpretation, the West is already beaten both ways.

I better slit my wrists right now then, I have no future.

Oh, wait.

Completely forgetting the "making of things" and living absolutely in ideas land is a dumb idea that I hope doesn't gain any more traction in this environment.

I estimate that the author hasn't had to work with software architects that don't touch code any more.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com