Dan Pink's Adventures in Manga Video: Career Advice
In part 2 of his provocative, entertaining and highly visual presentation, Japan Society Media Fellow and bestselling author Daniel Pink discusses the reasoning behind his decision to create the first American business book in manga, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need. Based on his extensive work with various industry groups, Mr. Pink wrote a manga version of a career guide that has proved extremely popular with Middle School and High School educators.
Much of the guide provides, in an entertaining and easily understood format, some common sense career advice (that some may even disagree with) for the rising generation Using humor and humility, Mr. Pink dispenses this advice in a manner that will be appealing for many students, and can easily be used to spur discussion.
Some questions you might want to raise with your students, after watching the video, include:
1. What is your reaction to Dan Pink's advice that it is better to make career decisions for "fundamental" rather than "instrumental" reasons?
2. What are the pros and cons of the philosophy that there is no grand plan for a career, since the future is unpredictable?
3. What was the most surprising advice Mr. Pink offered? Why did it surprise you? Does this piece of advice now make sense to you?
4. Ask students to watch the video with someone over the age of 35 if possible. Have both viewers respond to the video. In class, have the student compare their reactions to the reactions of the older viewer.
5. Based on Mr. Pink's lecture and your experiences in school, how do you think the culture of work is different than the culture of school? How is it similar?
6. How did Mr. Pink's speaking style influence your reception of his advice? Do you think you would have reacted differently had you just heard him speak, rather than seeing him on video? Imagine that the same advice was being delivered by someone specific that you know. How do you think you would have reacted differently? Why? This advice was originally dispensed in a manga (Japanese style comic book). How do you think you may have reacted differently had you first read this advice in the manga rather than hearing and seeing Mr. Pink speak? Why?
Bibliographic Information about the book: Pink, Daniel H. The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: the Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need? Penguin Books, 2008. (If you go to this website, you can also enter a contest to offer an additional piece of career advice. The winning submission will win a trip to London.)
Do you have other questions you think will work well with your students? If so, please share them through the discussion feature below.
This event is part of the U.S.-Japan Innovators Network. For more information on the U.S. Japan Innovators Network, please visit the U.S.-Japan Innovators Network site.
Education Programs are made possible by generous funding from The Freeman Foundation.
Generous support for Education Programs is provided by Continental Airlines.
Additional support is provided by The Norinchukin Foundation, Inc., Chris A. Wachenheim, Joshua N. Solomon, Jon T. Hutcheson, Lesley Nan Haberman, Joshua S. Levine and Nozomi Terao.
Student and Family Programs are supported by the New York City
Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
