Week 4 Reading Reflection - Innovation: The Creative Pursuit of Ideas

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations? 

The biggest surprise for me was learning that creative behaviors can be learned and do not necessarily have to be innate. It seems as though certain people possess creative habits while others simply do not. I find it reassuring, yet surprising, that the creative nature can be obtained through education.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

One part of the reading that was confusing was the part about the “eureka factor” of the idea experience. Phase 3: The Idea Experience blended in with Phase 2: The Incubation Process due to the fact that many people do not realize they are moving from phase 2 to phase 3. 

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

The first question I would ask the author would be: Where did you come up with the list to the creative exercises and what are some of the examples of their functions, or complements? This is an interesting exercise, but I think it would be helpful to see some examples of functions to some of the items listed. The other question I would ask the author would be: How does knowing about the operations of the left and right brains strengthen the entrepreneur? It is nice knowing about the facts about the left and right brain in people, but knowing how to master each side or knowing how to tap into each would be extremely helpful in becoming a more powerful entrepreneur. 

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

One thing that I somewhat disagreed with the author about was the either/or thinking train of mind. I feel like personal lives do not have to be filled with “a great deal of uncertainty and ambiguity,” but rather filled with a schedule that a person is flexible with. There is a difference between not having a set schedule and having a great deal of certainty in one’s day, but being able to go with the flow when needed. 

Top 5 World Problems

Most Serious World Problems

1. ISIS
2. Racism
3. Global Climate Change
4. Water
5. Internet

ISIS is the most serious world problem because it is a cult with the ability to attract many different types of people from various walks of life. The fact that there have been cases of college students in the United States leave school to go to the Middle East is frightening. ISIS is recruiting heavily online and on college campuses and is gaining power by the minute. Their ownership of oil and natural resources leads them to be major world contenders and a force to be reckoned with, which is why I have them as the number one most serious world problem. 

Most-Possible to Implement

1. The most implementable solution is government-funded educational programs that would be taught in schools to warn the youth of the dangers of the internet. Such educational opportunities would also teach children the benefits of the internet as well as programs such as Microsoft Office and Photoshop.
2. The next most implementable solution is to educate the general public on ways of conserving water and potentially placing a tax on water consumption past a certain monthly limit based on people per household.
3. Global icons and world leaders take a stance against racism and not only the famous people, but average joes who stand up for what is right will catch the attention of people across the world to realize that racism is not okay and should be demolished. 
4. The bickering and the fighting about global climate change by politicians must stop. There needs to be facts only and the world must come together to find a solution to this problem. The first step to this solution is educating society, politicians, and world leaders about the problems associated with global climate change. 
5. The least-possibly implementable solution is the defense and fight against ISIS. There are various solutions, yet it is unclear which solution will have the greatest impact, which is why this world problem is so difficult to figure out. Bombing them would lead to civilian deaths and a possible outbreak of war, while tightening the U.S.’s gun control may backfire on us and cause society to be less prepared in the case of a mass shooting. A semi-implementable solution would be to tighten airport security, loosen gun control, and tighten our border security. This would take tons of money, resources, and laws to go in place, but it would hopefully secure the United States and keep us from getting in trouble with ISIS.