Week 4: Reading Reflection (Chapter 5)

1). Something that stood out that was different from my expectations was the ways to train and develop right and left-hemisphere skills. At least for me, the processes associated with the left and right-hemispheres of the brain have always been talked about as skills that we were born with. For example, you are either seen as a very analytical or imaginative type of person. Viewing these skillsets as something that can be learned and trained is a different way to look at it to develop skills you may not be as good at.

2). I understood everything in the chapter fairly well, but the arenas of creativity were probably the hardest concept to grasp because it was a new way of examining the creative process. Although I have no questions in particular, it was different to break it down into seven individual arenas to recognize areas in which we can be creative.

3). My first question would be how did you come up with the characteristics of the creative climate? Although I agree with the characteristics listed, it seems to be a unique list of what the author believes makes a successful climate. IT also is unusual that many of the other bulleted lists are short and sweet, while this list is composed of 10 elements, which is more than usual. My second question would be why the creative process is so heavily linked with innovation? As you mentioned, there are four types of innovation, so it isn’t always a new idea coming to life. Although I think creativity often goes hand in hand, creativity is even part of the chapter title, so it is a major focus of this chapter.

4). There is nothing in particular that I completely disagree with. There are a few concepts that I think are better in theory and not as straightforward in the real-world, such as the creative process having four distinct phases, but I do agree that most processes follow that general path. As with anything we learn in a textbook, I think it is just important to put it into a real-life perspective and realize that even if it deviates slightly from the model, it follows the general trend and has many of the same themes.

Week 4: Top 5 World Problems

1). Ranking the top 5 problems from most to least serious:

            1. World hunger and poverty

            2. War and terrorism

            3. Overpopulation and high birth rates

            4. Energy and available resources

            5. Environmental degradation

2). Ranking the top 5 solutions from the most possible to least possible to implement:

            1. Energy and available resources- Investing money and research into other technologies such as solar, wind, and hydropower is essential to find other sources of power. We never want to reach a point where there is a crisis when we run out of resources we are so dependent on, so the best solution is trying to find other sources of energy that can be used in mass quantities so we can lessen reliance on nonrenewable resources. Our reliance on oil, coal, and other nonrenewable resources are a serious issue moving forward because those resources won’t be available forever.

            2. Environmental degradation- Solutions to help reverse some of this damage are the simple reduce, reuse, recycle that we have learned since elementary school. In that order, it is best to reduce the amount you use, reuse the items you can, and recycle any other items for other purposes. When each individual does their part, it can add up and provide a more stable future for upcoming generations.

            3. World hunger and poverty- Tackling world hunger has been at the top of the list for decades, and there is no simple solution. A large majority of financial aid does go toward feeding the hungry and I think it is important to do all we can to help. On a similar note, when donating money, be sure to find programs and charities where every penny goes toward the cause. You don’t want to be funding a program where the relief efforts hardly impact those you are trying to reach, so just be sure to do your research and send your money will it will make the most difference. I recently took a nonprofit leadership course, and this was a main topic of concern because it is important to fund the actual cause, not corporate headquarters.

            4. War and terrorism- Any act of terrorism is scary, but repeated attacks from the same group are when it becomes a reality that they are a major threat. The best way to go about being safe is just to trust that our government and security know what they’re doing, and to never put yourself in a compromising situation if possible. Doing your own part as an individual to stay safe and trust your own instincts is important as well. Although oversimplified, I feel that this is the most practical solution because it helps hold citizens responsible for themself. If you are on alert and continuously aware, it is the most basic way to increase awareness and safety. This solution does not stop terrorist attacks and will not end wars (that is why it is at the bottom), but if these things do occur, it is a way to do the best with what you are given.

            5. Overpopulation and high birth rates- The most practical solution here would just be to not take on more than you can handle if possible. Try to live in an affordable area and not have more children than you can afford to clothe, house, and feed. Obviously that is easier in theory and it’s not always practical to move or control how large your family is, but if every individual did their part, it would certainly help. Again, it is not possible to tell every person to follow a strict set of guidelines for number of children, where to live, family size, etc., but in theory, if every individual could do their part in some way, it could all add up and make an impact as a whole.

I chose world hunger and poverty as my top problem because you have to eat to survive. The percentage of the world that lives under the poverty line is still extremely high, and food is a basic necessity of life. All of factors listed are horrible, but don’t really matter if you are starving to death and won’t live long enough to make it to the next day. I chose investing money and research into other sources of renewable energy as the most practical solution because I feel like it is the most feasible solution on my list. Between solar power, hydropower, wind energy, etc. there are numerous underutilized sources of energy that are yet to be used to their full potential. We need to back away from our reliance on oil, coal, and other nonrenewable sources of energy, and that is an area that we could see results begin to pay off quickly.