"But a funny thing happened while we were pressing our noses to the grindstone: The world changed. The future no longer belongs to people who can reason with computer-like logic, speed, and precision. It belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind. Today - amid the uncertainties of an economy that has gone from boom to bust to blah - there's a metaphor that explains what's going on. And it's right inside our heads." from WIRED (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/brain.html)

The author of the article makes an attempt to outline the cause and effects.

"The effect: the scales tilting in favor of right brain-style thinking. The causes: Asia, automation, and abundance."

So we've gone from Industrial to Information to Conceptual. The real problem is that our educational system (and the media) does not prepare Americans for the changes taking place in the workforce, economy, etc.