Creative problem solving is needed now more than ever because the world is facing challenges bigger and more daunting that ever before: big, nasty, complicated problems like climate change, ecological collapse, social fragility from globalization, the disruptive effects of technology, and so on. But if you ask someone what we – humanity – should do about these challenges, more often than not, you’ll get some vaguely-optimistic variant of this: “Someone will think of something.”
In a way, it’s a valid response. After all, we have overcome some major hurdles in the past. We’re still here.
But if “someone will think of something” is our strategy, it seems only prudent that we should support the someones and encourage the thinking of creative somethings. Unfortunately, we do neither – and it starts in the schools.
That’s how William Zinsser – writer, journalist, teacher, and former editor of the Book-of-the-Month Club – begins Writing to Learn. Part autobiography, part writing guide, and part inventory of exemplary writing from fields not renowned for their engaging prose (e.g. chemistry, mathematics, music), the book is – as you might imagine – well written. The focus is non-fiction, or as he calls it, “explanatory writing: writing that transmits existing information or ideas,” although parts of the book are relevant to fiction writing as well.
We’ve all had times where our thoughts have held us hostage, where we’ve been captives to a blind rage, intoxicating lust, or crippling anxiety – and afterwards, we’re generally left worse off.
Darn Ecology 