The Pebbles

[pdogg]

The Pebbles

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 an awful, mean man, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. Since the farmer was unable to pay the debt, the moneylender proposed a deal.

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 moneylender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

He told them 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 told 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 and expose the moneylender 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 help 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 any of the logical answers above.

What would you recommend the girl do?

[Luung]

Eat the pebbles?

It wouldn't be my advice, but I would imagine that she would be expected to choose option (3) & sacrifice herself for the sake of the family, that would be a perceived Thai logic.

The money lender could well be a lateral thinker as he has blatantly picked up two black stones giving a message loud & clear that there is NO escape from from the debt (without actually saying so) & that the girl should just do her duty without any fuss.

Maybe they should just let the farmer go to jail & then they can go out, buy an open top sports car & embark on a wreaking spree stopping at every local bar on the way... The farmer would have eventually sold her to the moneylender at any rate, so fuck him, neither of them would of had any respect for the man who would sell his own daughter... And at the end of the day, in spite of his meanness the moneylender will be an incredibly attractive man in ANY Thai community, she wouldn't stay horrified for long!.. That works for me as Thai logic, but would also come under the 'umberella' of lateral thinking.

Has mentioned previously before, when involved in an issue on another site, logic can only come from assumption & our assumptions are completely different to start with; so 'logic', but not like we know it 'Jim'!??... And if a 'Thai' manages to think, 'out of the box', i.e. laterally, then that is what I would call a happy accident, along with any form of forward or practical thinking.

Yeah, fuck it... Eat the pebbles

[pdogg]

Eat the pebbles?

That's certainly thinking outside the box!

[Lefty]

When she reaches in the bag take out both pebbles.

Better yet, unholster her M29 S&W 44 mag, and gut shoot the moneylender

[DownLoLarry]

Better yet, unholster her M29 S&W 44 mag, and gut shoot the moneylender

Some more good out of the box thinking Lefty style!