Daniel Pink argues that we have passed from the information age into “the conceptual age.” Businesses and organizations that hope to survive this shift will need to adjust accordingly. Though his book is not intended for church leaders, it certainly provides food for thought, and even more, inspires hope for the future. If Pink is correct in his analysis, and the conceptual age is upon us, the Christian faith is certainly positioned to plunder this new world.

From the Information Age to the Conceptual Age

Information is now readily accessible to the majority of Americans. It requires little “expert knowledge” to gain this information. Furthermore, information jobs are increasingly being outsourced. Thus, in our contemporize climate, jobs focused on gathering and distributing information are increasingly less valuable. Pink concludes that the information age is over and a new “conceptual age” has begun.

The information age was primarily left-brained – emphasizing logic, analysis, and reason. Although Left-Directed Thinking will remain indispensable in the future, it is no longer sufficient. “In the Conceptual Age, what we need… is a whole new mind” (51).

In order to survive in the future, businesses and organizations will have to provide something more than computers offer – something more than facts and information. They will need to place these facts within a larger conceptual context – one that utilizes the Right-Brain as much as the left.

In order to do this, Pink argues that we must become competent in mastering six essential Right-Brain Directed aptitudes: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. He briefly describes these six aptitudes before developing them more fully. I quote his overview at length – since if forms the outline for his book – with short comments concerning each aptitude.

1. Not just function but also DESIGN. It's no longer sufficient to create a product, a service, an experience, or a lifestyle that's merely functional. Today it's economically crucial and personally rewarding to create something that is also beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging. (65)

In the information age the focus was on efficiency and productivity. Now, with an abundance of choices in regard to any one product, we have come to value a product’s design. It is not only important that something works well; it is also important that it looks good. In the conceptual age, a pleasing design plays a much larger role in our use of products.

2. Not just argument but also STORY. When our lives are brimming with information and data, it's not enough to marshal an effective argument. Someone somewhere will inevitably track down a counterpoint to rebut your point. The essence of persuasion, communication, and self-understanding has become the ability also to fashion a compelling narrative. (65-66)

Since facts are so widely available and instantly accessible, they are less valuable. “What begins to matter more is the ability to place these facts in context and to deliver them with emotional impact” (101). Story provides the context for facts. Current interest in genealogies and scrapbooking demonstrate the hunger to place facts within the context of a story.

3. Not just focus but also SYMPHONY. Much of the Industrial and Information Ages required focus and specialization. But as white-collar work gets routed to Asia and reduced to software, there's a new premium on the opposite aptitude: putting the pieces together, or what I call Symphony. What's in greatest demand today isn't analysis but synthesis – seeing the big picture and, crossing boundaries, being able to combine disparate pieces into an arresting new whole. (66)

Symphony involves the ability to integrate many elements into an overarching whole. It is at the heart of systems thinking and holistic thinking. To “grasp the relationships between relationships” is at the heart of this endeavor (137).

4. Not just logic but also EMPATHY. The capacity for logical thought is one of the things that makes us human. But in a world of ubiquitous information and advanced analytic tools, logic alone won't do. What will distinguish those who thrive will be their ability to understand what makes their fellow woman or man tick, to forge relationships, and to care for others. (66)

Empathy involves more than words. Quoting Goleman, “People’s emotions are rarely put into words; far more often they are expressed through other cues. Just as the mode of the rational mind is words, the mode of the emotions is nonverbal” (156). These nonverbal cues come primarily from people’s facial expressions. “With forty-three tiny muscles that tug and stretch and lift our mouth, eyes, cheeks, eyebrows, and forehead, our faces can convey the full range of human feeling. Since Empathy depends on emotion and since emotion is conveyed nonverbally, to enter another’s heart, you must begin the journey by looking into his face” (156). Our ability to “read” people’s expressions and recognize their emotions is vital in the conceptual age.

5. Not just seriousness but also PLAY. Ample evidence points to the enormous health and professional benefits of laughter, lightheartedness, games, and humor. There is a time to be serious, of course. But too much sobriety can be bad for your career and worse for your general well-being. In the Conceptual Age, in work and in life, we all need to play. (66)

Play is serious business. It is part of the rhythm of life. “It’s time to rescue humor from its status as mere entertainment and recognize it for what it is – a sophisticated and peculiarly human form of intelligence that can’t be replicated by computers and that is becoming increasingly valuable in a high-concept, high-touch world” (191).

6. Not just accumulation but also MEANING. We live in a world of breathtaking material plenty. That has freed hundreds of millions of people from day-to-day struggles and liberated us to pursue more significant desires: purpose, transcendence, and spiritual fulfillment. (66-67)

Meaning matters. The pursuit of meaning is our “fundamental drive, the motivational engine that powers human existence” (208). Quoting Frankl: “man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life” (208).

The Christian Faith in the Conceptual Age

The Christian faith possesses the raw material needed to survive in the Conceptual Age. Following are just a few random thoughts that demonstrate how Christianity is entirely suited for the challenges ahead.

Design. Aside from evangelical suspicion concerning art, Christianity has always placed a high emphasis on beauty. God’s glory is not only moral but aesthetic. God is, quite simply, beautiful. We are drawn to God, not only by an awareness of our sinfulness, but by a fascination with divine beauty. God is the source and the author of all beauty. “Beauty will save the world,” is a common saying in the Eastern Orthodox tradition.

Story. The Christian faith is rooted in the story of the gospel – God’s gracious desire to draw people to himself in Christ and by the Spirit. The Bible is not a systematic textbook, nor is it an encyclopedic reference work – an “owner’s manual.” The Bible is the divinely-inspired record of God’s gracious dealings with humanity culminating in the giving of his Son. This story ultimately ends in the glorification – the beautification – of all things in a new heavens and new earth.

Symphony. As we become more aware of Christian expression throughout history, in a diversity of human cultures, and as people from other cultures continue to contribute to theological discussion, we see the multi-faceted beauty of the Christian faith. We realize that theological reflection and Christian practice is enriched by this dialogue. Focusing on one theme, one topic, or one doctrine, is no longer possible in such a variegated playing field.

Empathy. The belief that maturity in the Christian faith is simply a matter of “knowing the facts and principles” has been exposed as reductionistic. Christian experience involves more than the mind – it encompasses the whole person. Mere Bible study without an emphasis on experience, discipline, reflection, meditation, and contemplation leads to bloated heads and cold hearts. An emphasis on empathy encourages us to help one another understand their relationship to God and others.

Play. Joy, delight, and praise are essential elements in the Christian faith. Our participation in God is not simply a matter of sober discipline and somber meetings. It must include an emphasis on godly play. As C. S. Lewis said, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” God’s joy in his creation, his command that we regularly rest from the daily grind of life, his call to festival and feast, continually remind us that life is more than work and salvation is more than pious posturing.

Meaning. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? From the beginning, Jesus has made it clear that we are not defined by what we possess. We can acquire all the possessions, achievements, and status possible, and still remain empty inside. We desperately need meaning in order to live. And there is no greater meaning than participating in God’s plan to renew the world in Christ and by his Spirit.

Conclusion

If Pink is right, and the conceptual age is upon us, then we have no reason to fear, and every reason to celebrate. The “conceptual age” will prove to be a friend to Christianity. It will bring to the surface many of the great treasures that we have misplaced or forgotten because of our desire for significance in the information age. Restoring these elements will allow us to present a “whole” Christianity that addresses the whole person, and not simply the intellect.

© Richard J. Vincent, 2005