Will right brain or left brain rule in the end?

I find myself at a curious moment in my college education, and I suspect I'm not alone.

I know what I want to do with my life, professionally speaking at least. But, my dilemma is like that of many liberal arts students – making a career of it. Turning it into something that is both financially practical and stable.

Graduate school is not even a question; it's a matter of fact, a necessity. With this essential next step, comes the pressure to better myself, to get accepted to an institution of some prestige. Of course, financing this personal betterment is another issue. In regards to the concerns of financial practicality and stability, it seems counterproductive to go tens of thousands of dollars into debt beyond the expenses of undergraduate education.

The option of double majoring in a field of study with a more stable job outlook is possible, perhaps even the smart thing to do. But it doesn't feel right to me. I feel I would be selling myself out.

Daniel Pink, chief speech writer of former Vice President Al Gore, provides hope for such a problem. Pink suggests in his book "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future" that before the 21st century, left-brain skills (linear and literal thinking) were typically the most valued by businesses. But as we move into what Pink refers to as the Conceptual Age, these left-brain skills will not be enough to ensure success. He argues that right-brain skills (creativity and innovation) will become essential in the economic world.

Time can only tell whether or not this will be the case, but to Pink's credit, it makes a lot of sense. As we continue to drain the earth of its natural resources, we will eventually reach a point in which there will be no coal to be mined, no petroleum to be extracted, no natural gas to be piped. At this point, the left-brain labor skills will become virtually useless, and we as a society will have to adapt and tap into other resources, i.e. the human mind.

As for the dilemma I mentioned at the beginning, I'm not sure there is a solution. There is no way to know if I will see the day when the power of my right-brain mind will offer me more financial usefulness and stability than the labor of my body. Such is the plight (for lack of a better word) of a student of the liberal arts.

So, here's the thing. Sometimes uncertainty is a good thing; it keeps us on our toes. It can also be equally as bad. All I know for sure is what I want to do in this moment (perhaps my right-brain mind in action). It is what it is. And, that's all it can be. We'll see…

Contact Caleb Whisenant at whisenant@marshall.edu.