Lateral thinking
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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 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.
1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt
would be forgiven.
2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt
would still be forgiven.
3) 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 sharpeyed
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 that 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 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?
Well, here is what she did ….
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.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t Attempt to think.
Very very good Jessil…
reminds me, read something from Stephen Covey, he discusses the same subject in elaborate detail,
on how lateral thinking can come up not so obvious solutions to some of life’s perplexing problems.
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