Interesting article in the Nikkei Weekly (Japan) about a University of Tokyo Professor, Toru Nishigaki, who claims that the collapse of Lehman Brothers can be attributed to an over reliance of logical left brain thinking. In other words, we have created a society that puts too much trust in computers and mathematical models over and above human intuition and experience.

To quote the Prof:  “We are excited about the digital age that has just begun :but we haven’t learned how to deal with IT. Since the digital left-brain field has expanded rapidly, the right-brain field has been neglected, and various problems have arisen.”

I couldn’t agree more. Moreover, I think this over-reliance on machines and machine-like thinking is going to cause even more problems in the future (e.g Flight safety critical software). The other thing that he says, which I personally find fascinating, is that it is only really the right side of the brain that has the ability to connect with things that bring about true happiness.

PS – Possible linkage here with Susan Greenfield who said that the GFC was partly caused by sensation seeking young men who failed to appreciate real risk due to a diet of screen based entertainment in which a re-set button could always be used (i.e. the link being the digital era causing unforeseen problems).