Symphony, as Pink states, is “the ability to put together the pieces” (p.130), which is fascinating. I’ve never though symphony is the ability, at least, before reading this chapter. Symphonic thinking becomes more important because of the Information Age. As Pink demonstrates three reasons of why symphony plays an important role, I feel like today’s China is looking for people with comprehensive talent, including these skills that Pink recommends, such as play, empathy, story, even symphony. Certainly, we do not use the same word to describe this ability, but the function is the same. We need people who can “see relationships between seemingly unrelated fields, to detect broad patterns, to invent something new.” (p.130) ![]() To better understand the aptitude of symphony, as Pink claims, “is to learn how to draw” (p.131) I am so lucky because I’ve been taking drawing for one year, and I can definitely tell my feelings that are similar to Pink’s. “Drawing is largely about relationship” (p.131) which is so correct. When I started learning drawing, I’ve learned the shapes, lines, values, proportion. I remember Prof. Ballou had us draw something unclear, like Bomeisler did for Pink, “you know nothing about what you’re drawing” (p.132) “The goal is to trick the left hemisphere and clear the way for the right. When the left brain does not know what the right brain is doing, the mind is free to see relationships and to integrate those relationships into a whole.” (p.132) Drawing helps me develop my skill of observation, meanwhile, improve my envision of seeing small pieces and seeing big pictures. So, what kind of person contain symphonic thinking? Pink suggests three types of people, including the boundary crosser, the inventor, and the metaphor maker. (p.134) Personally, Film makers and producers are the boundary crossers, especially film producers. From my perspective as a former, unprofessional film producer, I’ve found it requires so many skills to achieve the goal. Film producers should know and be responsible for every part of work. They are not requested to be excellent film directors, while they are requested to know, at least, the story from this film is excellent. To some degree, they are required to know the aesthetic appreciation of film. However, this is not enough. They need to know everything, including selecting actors and actress, seeking funds, even film promotion. I think film producers are the best example to describe what the boundary crosser is, and film producers are always seeing the big picture. I really like the idea that Pink states “most inventions and breakthroughs come from reassembling existing ideas in new ways” Wonderful, that is what play works and why play can improve people’s skill of creativity and innovation. In addition, I do appreciate metaphorical thinking, while it is really difficult to understand people when their wording implies metaphors. I think most of international students have these feelings. Pink claims metaphorical thinking is critical because it helps people understand others, therefore, I think it is time to take notes when you hear something metaphorical. I was wondering what if we read some visual culture literacy? Does it help us improve our metaphorical thinking? My answer is YES. Many decades before scientists demonstrated why “psychological androgyny” is essential to creativity, Virginia Woolf (a British writer) articulated this idea in a beautiful passage from her classic 1929 book-length essay A Room of One’s Own. She claimed that the best mind is the androgynous mind. “In each of us two powers preside, one male, one female… The androgynous mind is resonant and porous… naturally creative, incandescent and undivided.” From Pink’s chapter, “A psychologically androgynous person in effect doubles his or her repertoire of responses and can interact with the world in terms of a much richer and varied spectrum of opportunities.” Symphony is a great skill that art teachers can implement in the classroom, like Pink recommends in this chapter. For art teachers, when we are going to teach drawing, what if we use Bomeisler’s strategy – having students draw something unclear – which set student’s mind free to see relationships and to integrate those relationships into a whole. Second, design thinking is a good way to nourish the symphonic thinking, including looking for solutions in search of problems. Third, what if art teachers have students make their own decision for creating something they could not do? What if we give some challenges?
2 Comments
Bethanie Irons
3/10/2018 05:53:47 pm
Hi Jenny!
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Kathy
3/13/2018 02:22:24 pm
I am so happy that your are broadening your artistic vision by developing your drawing skills as well. You are already a symphonic thinker because videography is a highly complex process involving many parts to a whole and synchronizing elements into a pattern that completes the vision as you note:" Film producers should know and be responsible for every part of work. They are not requested to be excellent film directors, while they are requested to know, at least, the story from this film is excellent. To some degree, they are required to know the aesthetic appreciation of film. However, this is not enough. They need to know everything, including selecting actors and actress, seeking funds, even film promotion. I think film producers are the best example to describe what the boundary crosser is, and film producers are always seeing the big picture." as Pink writes:"Pink states “most inventions and breakthroughs come from reassembling existing ideas in new ways” . That is what you do!!!!:-)
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