Seeing what isn't there isn't easy but I'm convinced it is an essential component of unlearning — which I believe will be of the most critical skills of the future. It will only become more important as the pace of technological change increases and knowledge spreads ever faster.
I have long felt the health care industry in particular would benefit from the ability to see what isn't there (as I explained in this post) and the recent TED talk by Aditi Shankardass explaining how scientists and researchers are now uncovering new connections between the human brain and learning disorders such as autism, mental retardation, epilepsy and dyslexia further emphasizes this point.
As Shankardass so eloquently says, "Looking at behavior alone cannot only be misleading, it can be deceiving." So true … and not just in her field but in virtually every aspect of our lives.
For your enjoyment I posted the video of Shankasdass' 7-minute TED talk below:
