Charlie's Page

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.

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! :)