Have you ever encountered a problem that seems impossible to solve with traditional logical thinking? The present lesson teaches us the importance of lateral thinking. The students can also find other lessons included in their curriculum on this website.
Summary of Thinking Out of The Box: Lateral Thinking
The farmer owed a large sum of money to the moneylender, who fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. He proposed a bargain: he would cancel the farmer’s debt if he could marry the daughter. The farmer and his daughter were horrified. The moneylender then suggested that they pick a black or white pebble from an empty money bag, with a black pebble signifying marriage and a white pebble signifying debt cancellation. However, the girl saw the moneylender cheat by putting two black pebbles into the bag.
What should the girl do?
Instead of choosing the logical answers, she picked up a pebble from the bag and pretended it slipped from her hand, leaving it lost among the other pebbles. She then encouraged the moneylender to check the remaining pebble, which had to be the black one. This way, she saved her father from debt and imprisonment, and the moneylender’s dishonesty was exposed.
Lateral thinking is thinking outside the box, thinking unconventionally, and creatively solving problems. It is a skill that anyone can develop, according to Edward de Bono, who coined the term. Lateral thinking channels our intelligence appropriately and encourages us to think differently.
The chapter gives us another example of thinking out of box. The story of Thomas, a millionaire who needed to park his Ferrari in New York for two weeks, illustrates lateral thinking. Thomas borrowed $5,000 from a bank using the Ferrari as collateral. When he returned, he paid the loan back with interest, and the bank was amazed at why a millionaire would need such a small loan. Thomas explained that it was the only way he could park his Ferrari in New York for two weeks and get it back in top condition for just $15.
Take Away
Lateral thinking is essential to solve complex problems that logical thinking cannot solve. Encouraging lateral thinking can lead to creative and unconventional solutions that can change the course of events.
