Sunday, January 21, 2007

Difference between logical thinking and lateral thinking


Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed abargain. He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter.Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marryhim and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles.As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up twoblack pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag andexpose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order tosave her father from his debt and imprisonment.

The above story is used with thehope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers.What would you recommend to the Girl to do?The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles."Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked". Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

LESSON: Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we are educated" to think only logically whereas the people who rule us only think laterally!!!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Blessed is a life!

Blessed are the blind, what all crime they need not see

Blessed are the deaf, what all obscenity they need not hear

Blessed are the mute, what all offence they need not speak

Blessed are the insane, what all filth they need not think

Blessed are the lame, what all thorns they need not tread

Blessed are the weak, what all wars they need not wage

Blessed are the meek, what all quarrels they need not indulge in

Blessed are the wounded, what all death they need not meet

Blessed are the poor, what all sleep they need not waste

Blessed are the down trodden, what all pride they need not care

Blessed are the workers, what all happiness they need not loose

Blessed are the under-privileged, what all hopes they need not shatter

Blessed are you and me, what all blessings do we need more?