Friedman Article Reflection

Over the past week, my English 110 class and I have been in a quest to find our true intellectual ability. The assignment dealt with an equation proposed by Thomas Friedman, author of The World Is Flat. Friedman believes that the sum of an individual’s Curiosity Quotient (CQ) and Passion Quotient (PQ) is more important than his or her Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Therefore, the equation we used was CQ + PQ > IQ. Friedman’s equation is best explained by Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind. Pink says, “You show me a curious, intrinsically motivated kid – and I’ll show you someone who’ll leave the kid who merely complies with the rules and studies for the SAT in the dust.” Friedman may have stumbled onto something big, but there is one major flaw in his equation.

The assignment started with a 20 minute online IQ test, which I finished with a score of 150. I then took a curiosity test online, which turned out to be a daunting process of answering what seemed like the same questions over and over again. Thirty minutes and 240 questions later, the website analyzed my answers and gave me a ranked list of my 24 strengths. Curiosity sat in the fifth spot on my list, which meant that it was one of my top strengths and gave me a CQ score of 19. Next, we took a quick ten question passions test in class, which ultimately determined how well you are fulfilling your passions. I ended up with a 90 on the PQ test. After the three tests were completed, we moved onto the final step.

Because I had scored high on both the CQ and PQ tests, I was feeling confident that Friedman’s equation was going to work. I was dead wrong. The equation would not work for me no matter how high I scored on either test. My combined total from the CQ and PQ tests gave me a score of 109. With an IQ score of 150, this meant that the IQ side of the equation was much higher than the CQ + PQ side. According to Friedman, the difference in scores means that I lack curiosity and need help discovering my passions in life. This was not the outcome I was hoping for. Luckily, there is a flaw in the equation that makes it impossible for my CQ + PQ score to be higher than my IQ score. The highest possible total for CQ + PQ is 124, which is much less than my IQ. Friedman definitely needs to fix this. I know that his equation is theoretical, but it should still be functional.

Looking past the mathematical mishap, I found that Friedman’s equation makes sense and boasts a powerful message. Too many times I realize that something does not interest me, and my only solution has been to simply grin and bear it. Some examples include: a boring class about molecular moles, group projects with kids who have no idea what year it even is, monotonous math lectures that never end, and other moments in school that make the clock seem to tick slower than normal. Like many other students, I quickly fell victim to daydreaming. Surely there must be a better way to cope with the boredom.

If Friedman were asked how to boost the level of interest, he would most likely address the problem at its roots. A lack of curiosity creates the boredom that so many students, including myself, feel from time to time. I can draw on two of my strengths when boring situations arise. Strength 5, curiosity, and Strength 13, enthusiasm, have the ability of turning dull lectures into an opportunity to learn something new. These two strengths can give me the power to stop texting in class, turn off the solitaire game on my iPod (as addicting as it may be), or put down my pencil before the hour-long doodle session even begins.

I realize that I’m making it sound as if there are no classes that interest me; however, there are many classes that I enjoy attending. Art classes have always been my favorite. Once the pencil or paint brush is in my hand, the rest is up to me. I can turn up my iPod, talk to other students around me, or walk around the room in an effort to develop new ideas. My art teachers were the best. They allowed me to paint whatever I wanted and gave me the tools to flex my artistic muscle. My passion for art eventually pushed me into the field of Advertising, which turned into Marketing after some coercion from Dr. Timothy Vaughan. Now a Marketing major at UW-Eau Claire, I hope to pursue my passions and enhance my curiosity with the liberal arts education I receive.