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 A
group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in
use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused
track, the rest on the operational track.
The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange.
You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save
most of the kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing
by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the
train go its way?
Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make...
Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and
sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess.
Exactly, I thought the same way initially because to save most of the
children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most
people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought
that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made
the right decision to play at a safe place?
Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant
friends who chose to play where the danger was. This kind of dilemma
happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and
especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed
for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the
majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.
The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track
was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a
tear for him.
The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would
not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the
kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that
track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they
heard the train's sirens. If the train was diverted, that lone child
would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over
to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it
was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the
lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save
a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing
hundreds of people to save these few ignorant kids.
While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that
need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always
be the right one.
"Remember that what's right isn't always popular and what's popular isn't always right."
Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils. |
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 A 99.95% challenge that you will have a wrong answer to the question asked in the passage.
Once there was loving couple traveling in a bus in a mountainous
area. They decided to get down at some place. After the couple got down
at some place the bus moved on. As the bus moved on, a huge rock fell
on the bus from the mountain and crushed the bus to crumbs. Everybody
on board was killed.
The couple upon seeing that, said, 'We wish we were on that bus.' Why do you think they said that?
If they had remained on the bus instead of deciding to get down, the
resulting time delay could have been avoided and the rock could have
fallen after the bus had passed...
Thinking out of the Box or Think positive in life always and look for opportunities when you can help others...
Honorable Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: "Wisdom and intellect are the first thing that God created."
Imam Reza (as) said: "Wisdom and intellect is every man's friend, ignorance and illiteracy, are his enemies." |
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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 cunning, 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 moneylender 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 sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two
black pebbles and put them into the money bag.
The Moneylender, then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the money 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 money 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 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. What would you
recommend to the girl to do?
Well, here is what she did ...
The girl put her hand into the money bag 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 money 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 moneylender 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. |
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 Life
is to strive for the best ... rather pass by with rest ... The Japanese
have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not
held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing
boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen
went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took
more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not
like the taste.
To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their
boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers
allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese
could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not
like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So fishing
companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff
them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the
fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive.
Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because
the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The
Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.
So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do
they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan? To keep the fish tasting fresh,
the Japanese fishing companies (still) put the fish in the tanks. But
now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but
most of the fish arrive in a very lively state.
Like the Japanese fish - "Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the
presence of a challenging environment." - said L. Ron Hubbard
Challenges are what keeps us fresh!
Instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat the heck out of
them. Enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous,
reorganize the challenge, team up, be resourceful and do not give up.
Failing makes you tired. If you have met your goals, set some bigger
goals. Once you meet your personal or family needs, move onto goals for
your group, the society, even mankind. |
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