$BlogRSDURL$>
Charlie's Page
JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MY WORLD.
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Somebody sent me this story with a "moral."
(From Roger Isaacs, our correspondent in Sydney.) Many years ago in a small 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 a bargain. 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 marry him 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 two black 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 several possibilities: 1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble. 2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat. 3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment. Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope 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."
MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution. ... but it means thinking outside the box.
----
Stories like this are told as an example of how to be creative or to think beyond our usual ways. However, the problem stems from the fact that as children we are told to be obedient and not to question adults. It continues through school and into the workplace. One doesn’t question the government – at least not too much. And also most problems serve some benefit to those who have them as well as the fact that the people who create the problems are far more forceful – with the force behind them – than those who are at the receiving end. So in this example - which is a hypothetical problem created to prove a person’s point - there is the third factor that allows an escape, i.e. the pebbles. In real life, the situation would more likely be, the moneylender would simply offer to take the daughter in marriage or he would have to pay in small amounts over a long time – with interest of course. Take it or leave it.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
To those who read this and are not familiar with the French, the majority of them go on vacation in August. So that generally leaves most of Paris relatively free of traffic. The people and their cars have mostly returned this past weekend so the formerly clear horizons are gone, replaced by yellow-brown smog – which is very noticeable from my seventh floor window.
Pillows Pt.2 I have noticed that it is better if I adjust the height of my pillows depending on whether or not I am sleeping on my side or on my back - or is there another condition that makes me that sensitive to pillow height?
Well, whether I am playing tricks on myself or not remains to be seen but I have discovered a new approach (“philosophy”) of looking at life and I feel great – quite liberated, in fact. (Sorry, I cannot say how it works right now because I have to explain it very carefully covering all aspects of human behavior and I haven’t worked it out (written it all down) to defend it yet. You wouldn’t want to believe it anyway and without me to defend it....) The dreary spring and summer of discontent that I had is over. Yippee! :)
Archives
January 11, 2004
January 18, 2004
January 25, 2004
February 01, 2004
February 08, 2004
February 15, 2004
February 22, 2004
February 29, 2004
March 07, 2004
March 14, 2004
March 21, 2004
March 28, 2004
April 04, 2004
April 11, 2004
April 18, 2004
April 25, 2004
May 09, 2004
May 16, 2004
May 23, 2004
May 30, 2004
June 06, 2004
June 13, 2004
June 20, 2004
June 27, 2004
July 04, 2004
July 11, 2004
July 18, 2004
July 25, 2004
August 01, 2004
August 15, 2004
August 22, 2004
August 29, 2004
September 12, 2004
September 19, 2004
September 26, 2004
October 03, 2004
October 10, 2004
October 24, 2004
October 31, 2004
November 07, 2004
November 14, 2004
November 21, 2004
November 28, 2004
December 05, 2004
December 12, 2004
December 19, 2004
December 26, 2004
January 02, 2005
January 09, 2005
January 16, 2005
January 23, 2005
January 30, 2005
February 06, 2005
February 13, 2005
February 20, 2005
February 27, 2005
March 06, 2005
March 13, 2005
April 03, 2005
April 17, 2005
April 24, 2005
May 01, 2005
May 08, 2005
May 15, 2005
May 22, 2005
May 29, 2005
June 05, 2005
June 12, 2005
June 19, 2005
June 26, 2005
July 03, 2005
July 10, 2005
July 17, 2005
July 24, 2005
July 31, 2005
August 07, 2005
August 14, 2005
August 21, 2005
August 28, 2005
September 04, 2005
September 18, 2005
September 25, 2005
October 02, 2005
October 09, 2005
October 16, 2005
October 23, 2005
October 30, 2005
November 06, 2005
November 13, 2005
November 20, 2005
December 04, 2005
December 18, 2005
December 25, 2005
January 01, 2006
January 08, 2006
January 15, 2006
January 22, 2006
January 29, 2006
February 05, 2006
February 12, 2006
February 19, 2006
February 26, 2006
March 05, 2006
March 12, 2006
March 19, 2006
March 26, 2006
April 02, 2006
April 09, 2006
April 16, 2006
April 23, 2006
April 30, 2006
May 07, 2006
May 14, 2006
June 04, 2006
June 11, 2006
June 18, 2006
June 25, 2006
July 09, 2006
July 16, 2006
July 23, 2006
July 30, 2006
August 13, 2006
August 20, 2006
August 27, 2006
September 17, 2006
October 15, 2006
October 29, 2006
November 26, 2006
December 03, 2006
December 10, 2006
December 17, 2006
December 24, 2006
December 31, 2006
January 07, 2007
January 14, 2007
January 21, 2007
January 28, 2007
February 11, 2007
February 18, 2007
February 25, 2007
March 11, 2007
March 25, 2007
April 01, 2007
April 08, 2007
April 15, 2007
April 29, 2007
May 06, 2007
May 13, 2007
May 27, 2007
June 03, 2007
June 10, 2007
June 17, 2007
June 24, 2007
July 01, 2007
July 08, 2007
July 15, 2007
July 22, 2007
July 29, 2007
August 05, 2007
August 12, 2007
August 26, 2007
September 09, 2007
September 16, 2007
September 30, 2007
October 07, 2007
October 14, 2007
October 21, 2007
October 28, 2007
November 04, 2007
November 11, 2007
November 25, 2007
December 09, 2007
December 16, 2007
December 23, 2007
January 06, 2008
January 20, 2008
January 27, 2008
February 03, 2008
February 10, 2008
February 17, 2008
February 24, 2008
March 02, 2008
March 09, 2008
March 16, 2008
March 23, 2008
March 30, 2008
April 06, 2008
April 13, 2008
April 20, 2008
May 04, 2008
May 11, 2008
May 18, 2008
May 25, 2008
June 01, 2008
June 08, 2008
June 22, 2008
June 29, 2008
July 06, 2008
July 20, 2008
July 27, 2008
August 03, 2008
August 10, 2008
August 17, 2008
September 07, 2008
September 14, 2008
September 21, 2008
September 28, 2008
October 05, 2008
October 12, 2008
October 26, 2008
November 02, 2008
November 16, 2008
November 23, 2008
November 30, 2008
December 14, 2008
December 28, 2008
January 04, 2009
January 11, 2009
January 25, 2009
February 08, 2009
February 22, 2009
March 01, 2009
March 15, 2009
March 22, 2009
March 29, 2009
June 21, 2009
July 26, 2009
August 09, 2009
August 23, 2009
September 20, 2009
September 27, 2009
October 04, 2009
October 18, 2009
November 01, 2009
November 22, 2009
November 29, 2009
December 27, 2009
January 03, 2010
January 10, 2010
January 24, 2010
February 07, 2010
March 28, 2010
April 25, 2010
May 09, 2010
June 20, 2010
July 18, 2010
August 15, 2010
September 26, 2010
October 31, 2010
November 07, 2010
March 27, 2011
August 28, 2011
August 10, 2014