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We have covered ways to have new thoughts. In fact the lessons, "Thinking Out Of The Box," and "Ways To Think Differently," had a couple dozen suggestions on this. Why have more? Well apart from the fact that we can always use more ways to think, these are the "fun" lessons, and I like to intersperse them between the more intense ones.
Here's a good one for discovering all sorts of new ideas and perspectives. It's a simple three-step process:
1. Look at how things are commonly compared and at the differences normally noted;
2. Find "other" differences that are not usually considered;
3. Work with these to see what new thoughts you have.
For an example, let's consider humans and animals. Commonly noted differences include humans using tools while most animals don't, or humans expressing their thoughts in language while most animals can't. But what are the unnoticed differences?
One difference I've recently considered is the fact that animals fear only what is here now, while humans are more commonly afraid of something in the imagined future (whether or not it actually does happen). Working with this a bit, I wonder about our ability to mentally create a future. Is it language based? How much harm does it do to our health through fear, anxiety and stress to think about negative futures, and is it as useful as we think? Does it mean we have more fear than other animals, or do we compensate in other ways?
Another example: I was listening to some comments on developed economies versus the "third world" on the news the other night. Some of the usual comparisons were made. These included income levels, life expectancies, and literacy rates.
A difference that came to my mind as I thought about a recent trip we took to South America, was that there we could find computers with internet access all over every city, for a low hourly fee, while here you need to have your computer with you if you want easy internet access in most cities. This is in large part because most people here have computers in their homes, and laptops as well, so there is less demand for internet cafes that provide access and computers.
A computer has become a necessity here (unless you live near a library). This reminds me that you also need to own a car in most places here, while in South America you can get anywhere by bus, because of the demand created by a population of people who mostly don't own cars. This gets us to an interesting thought: Does a wealthy society "trap" us in an expensive lifestyle to some extent?
With wealth in country come certain kinds of inconveniences which are only resolved by buying into a more expensive lifestyle. It's true that a dishwasher here can make six times as much as one in Peru, for example, but the Peruvian may get to and from work for $10 per month by bus. There isn't a bus of any type which passes within 30 miles of where I live, so a man has to own a car, at a minimum total cost of perhaps $200 per month - 20 times as much as the transportation costs of the Peruvian. Hmm...
It is entertaining and sometimes even enlightening to read quotes of the famous and not-so-famous. But to generate new thoughts, look at what they are saying from another perspective, or with other words. Then create your own quotes that show some other aspect of the matter.
For example, I was reading a collection of quotes on the concept of an "open mind." They included Malcolm Forbes, "Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one." The others ranged from those that implied we should be open to all things to those that implied our heads will be filled with garbage if we are. An angle I didn't see was that of an open mind meaning being open to see our own errors. Thus, my new quote:
"A truly open mind is open to the possibility that one's beliefs are wrong - even those that one wishes most to be true. A truly open mind is open to the possibility that angels, alien visits and psychic powers do not exist." - Steve Gillman
Another way to do this is to alter an existing quote. Thus, Siddhartha Gautama's (The Buddha) quote, "The highest religion is the extinction of evil desires," becomes, "The highest religion is the extinction of religion itself in the continual rebirth of the mind and spirit." You essentially take part of an idea (the highest religion is...) and add a new spin on the rest.
Another way to generate new ideas is to take a part of your understanding of a quote and elaborate on it in your own quote. Goethe said, "None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." Part of his meaning may have been that we are even more limited when we do not see and accept our limitations. With this in mind, our new quote might be: "Freedom does not mean we are free from the consequences of our actions."
You can also just pick a topic and try to sum up some idea in a pithy quote. For example, consider the concept of the right to free speech. My quick take on that: "The right to free speech does not include the right to have one's ideas respected or supported." The point of this exercise is that a good quote gets at something essential and hints at a deeper understanding, and so encourages us to think. Go ahead and get your inspiration from existing sayings, but then why not also create your own?
To find the good in a bad situation is a healthy approach to life. It is also a great way to generate new thoughts about things. The formula is something, like this:
1. Look at a thing or situation which is generally considered to be something bad.
2. Look for the good things in it, or for what good could come from it.
3. Play with these more positive perspectives to see what interesting or productive ideas result.
Let's look at some examples.
High gasoline prices are on many people's minds right now, and they are generally viewed as a bad thing. But what good could there be in this? Well, it is certainly good for those who have invested in oil company stocks, and those who have invested in gasoline futures contracts. What ideas does this suggest?
How about a fund for investing in gasoline futures, with a formula for determining how much to invest based on how much gasoline one uses? When gas prices go up you make a profit close to the additional amount you spend for your own use. If prices go down, you lose in the fund, but spend less on your own use. The bottom line is that this system makes the future total cost predictable. This might be useful to truckers, carpet cleaners and others who need predictability but don't know how to invest directly in the futures markets.
What about global warming? It is always presented as a bad thing, but what are some of the good things that could result from rising temperatures, or from the debate about them, and what ideas might come from those? Lets look at positive result suggested by many: Longer growing seasons in some areas of the world. I have heard that the season is already as much as two months longer in some parts of Canada.
What new thoughts does this suggest? The first thing that comes to my mind is that some real estate is going to become much more valuable as longer growing seasons allow new types of crops to be grown, with higher potential profit. Identify the areas most likely to change the fastest and you might have an excellent long-term investment strategy for agricultural land.
Another good thing that could come from our awareness of global warming is a greater knowledge of the causes of climate change. This suggests that we may be able to change the climate in more useful ways in the future. If an ice-age or a severe drought was developing - even for natural reasons - knowing how to purposely alter the climate might save billions of human lives.
Here are three simple exercises to get your mind used to thinking in new ways, and generating new ideas.
1. In the U.S. the northern and southern states are often compared on the basis of weather. What less commonly noted differences are there? Think of one or two, and see what interesting or useful ideas they lead you to.
2. Make up your own pithy quote about forgiveness or love. Make it one that suggests a direction for further exploration of the subject.
3. Inflation in an economy is generally considered a bad thing, but what good things come from it or could come from it? Think of at least one or two, and see what interesting new thoughts you can have starting from that.
Until next time,
Steve
www.RadicalNewThoughts.com
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