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A review by jessielzimmer
The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson, Lou Aronica
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.25
Interesting Thoughts on Education, Wrapped in a Familiar Self-Help Package
As many others have said, if you've watched Robinson's TED Talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity" and "Finding Your Element" (not a TED Talk), you know the message already. Robinson is a much stronger presenter than a writer, so if you're interested in what he has to say, watch those instead. It'll take less time and fewer words.
The book *is* good. But it does involve a lot of skimming. I'm going to pull a statistic I haven't confirmed out of my butt, and estimate 70% of this book can be found in his videos. I suspect that's a lowball. This could also explain why my attention flagged - for four months - at about 50%.
I like a lot of what he has to say, and agree with much of it. Especially his concerns about the Western approach to education. I do think we focus on testing far too much, rather than forming well-rounded people able to thrive in society. Kids have to memorize mathematical formulas, but can't balance a budget, understand the real cost of university, or credit cards.
After this, however, Robinson and I part ways. As others have mentioned, Robinson focuses on high-level success stories for most of the book. Meg Ryan. Richard Branson. The Beatles. Arthur C. Clarke. Not all of those profiled are household names, but many, many are. There's also more than a few "epiphanies" cited by those interviewed. But less discussion about the work between epiphany and wildly successful as the book continues.
I would love to see more stories of everyday people who found success in finding their Element. Who might not be billionaires (or hedge fund managers, or professors), but found a healthy balance between passion and prosperity. Middle-class successes, I suppose.
Instead The Element tipped into inspiration porn at points. Sure, there's a chapter on finding your purpose later in life and becoming successful. But it was only after the eight chapters before it. The overall message to me seemed to be: take chances when you're in your teens and twenties. Because at least if you fail, there's still plenty of time to pick up a 9-5 and save yourself. And if you're lucky, you can tap your Element on the side.
There were bits I loved. The story about the schools that broke the traditional molds. Or reshaped the concepts while still allowing their students to succeed in traditional testing. The case of the elderly and children working in tandem. Learning from each other. The wisdom of not shutting away the elderly is a very important one. We wouldn't be here without them, after all. The concept of Pro-Ams. People who may not be able to (or want to) pursue their passions full-time, but don't quite fit the model of "hobbyist" either. I am like that with computer technical support, book reviews, and novel writing.
And there were bits I didn't care for. There seemed to be a slight bias against blue-collar work, as though we're above such work now. Even as, in the same chapter, he admits degrees are becoming less valuable because there aren't enough white-collar jobs to keep us employed. But still, put yourself in debt anyway, because the Census Bureau says you'll make more money!
Without a sentence spared to how fulfilling (financially and otherwise) trade work can be. Tradies can be plumbers and hair stylists. HVAC techs, commercial pilots, and truck drivers. STEM fields are often portrayed as the successful ideal, but until the robots take over, you're still going to need a plumber to fix your shitter when it breaks. Bonus, many "lesser" jobs come without the burden of five figures (or more) of college debt.
Robinson also shoved a plea about climate crisis in the last two chapters, and while I understand many of his points, it read more like a man who'd bitten off too much. Trying to cram it all into one book. There's a lot of inspirational stories, but less concrete concepts on how to shape the world for the better via your Element. And The Element itself is another buzzy phrase like "follow your passion" and "do what you love". Not quite as profound as he thinks it is. While it's not nearly as catchy, I'll pass on The Element and heed these words instead:
"Passion is too important to be without, but too fickle to be guided by. Which is why I’m more inclined to say, 'Don’t Follow Your Passion, But Always Bring it With You." ~ Mike Rowe
As many others have said, if you've watched Robinson's TED Talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity" and "Finding Your Element" (not a TED Talk), you know the message already. Robinson is a much stronger presenter than a writer, so if you're interested in what he has to say, watch those instead. It'll take less time and fewer words.
The book *is* good. But it does involve a lot of skimming. I'm going to pull a statistic I haven't confirmed out of my butt, and estimate 70% of this book can be found in his videos. I suspect that's a lowball. This could also explain why my attention flagged - for four months - at about 50%.
I like a lot of what he has to say, and agree with much of it. Especially his concerns about the Western approach to education. I do think we focus on testing far too much, rather than forming well-rounded people able to thrive in society. Kids have to memorize mathematical formulas, but can't balance a budget, understand the real cost of university, or credit cards.
After this, however, Robinson and I part ways. As others have mentioned, Robinson focuses on high-level success stories for most of the book. Meg Ryan. Richard Branson. The Beatles. Arthur C. Clarke. Not all of those profiled are household names, but many, many are. There's also more than a few "epiphanies" cited by those interviewed. But less discussion about the work between epiphany and wildly successful as the book continues.
I would love to see more stories of everyday people who found success in finding their Element. Who might not be billionaires (or hedge fund managers, or professors), but found a healthy balance between passion and prosperity. Middle-class successes, I suppose.
Instead The Element tipped into inspiration porn at points. Sure, there's a chapter on finding your purpose later in life and becoming successful. But it was only after the eight chapters before it. The overall message to me seemed to be: take chances when you're in your teens and twenties. Because at least if you fail, there's still plenty of time to pick up a 9-5 and save yourself. And if you're lucky, you can tap your Element on the side.
There were bits I loved. The story about the schools that broke the traditional molds. Or reshaped the concepts while still allowing their students to succeed in traditional testing. The case of the elderly and children working in tandem. Learning from each other. The wisdom of not shutting away the elderly is a very important one. We wouldn't be here without them, after all. The concept of Pro-Ams. People who may not be able to (or want to) pursue their passions full-time, but don't quite fit the model of "hobbyist" either. I am like that with computer technical support, book reviews, and novel writing.
And there were bits I didn't care for. There seemed to be a slight bias against blue-collar work, as though we're above such work now. Even as, in the same chapter, he admits degrees are becoming less valuable because there aren't enough white-collar jobs to keep us employed. But still, put yourself in debt anyway, because the Census Bureau says you'll make more money!
Without a sentence spared to how fulfilling (financially and otherwise) trade work can be. Tradies can be plumbers and hair stylists. HVAC techs, commercial pilots, and truck drivers. STEM fields are often portrayed as the successful ideal, but until the robots take over, you're still going to need a plumber to fix your shitter when it breaks. Bonus, many "lesser" jobs come without the burden of five figures (or more) of college debt.
Robinson also shoved a plea about climate crisis in the last two chapters, and while I understand many of his points, it read more like a man who'd bitten off too much. Trying to cram it all into one book. There's a lot of inspirational stories, but less concrete concepts on how to shape the world for the better via your Element. And The Element itself is another buzzy phrase like "follow your passion" and "do what you love". Not quite as profound as he thinks it is. While it's not nearly as catchy, I'll pass on The Element and heed these words instead:
"Passion is too important to be without, but too fickle to be guided by. Which is why I’m more inclined to say, 'Don’t Follow Your Passion, But Always Bring it With You." ~ Mike Rowe