i love books and ideas on creative thinking. years ago in a training session someone (roy) recommended a book called a whack on the side of the head by roger von oech. it came at a great time for me and changed the way the team i was part of then approached planning and ideas. we used to talk of being ‘whacked’ inspired by this little book. other writers at the time who also got us thinking in different directions were edward de bono and tom peters.
well the world has changed and i have discovered that roger von oech is now blogging (and has published several other books or card sets since – i think i’ll order a card set – looks like fun for planning meetings) as is tom peters. so if you like that sort of thing keep an eye on their blogs (i have added them to my blog list)…
i liked the idea that every right idea is eventually the wrong idea. it applies in lots of areas of life, culture and change. (it reminds me of the title of a chapter by maggi dawn many years back in the post evangelical debate called you have to change in order to stay the same which is a similar idea (in reverse)). anyway this sentence got me thinking…
what ideas that were once right have now become wrong? (answers in the comments please)
Thanks for the mention about me in your blog today. Much much appreciated. I look forward to exploring your site later in the day!
Best wishes to you and your readers!
Roger von Oech
If I understand the concept correctly, I think a good example would be the good old American megachurch.
For lots of reasons people thought that megachurches were the pinnacle of church development. More people, more services, more influence, and hey, the neighbours would at least know you were there….
But more often than not, I see people leaving these churches and the “mega” starting to deflate a bit. I wonder if this concept of the megachurch is one of these right ideas that has maybe become a wrong idea that doesn’t fit in a culture in need of connection?
Just a thought.
margarine is better than butter (a suggestion in the office when i asked the question!)
The one my mother-in-law often quotes is teetotalling. She grew up in the depression-era inner-city of Sydney and alchoholism was a big problem, linked in prticular to domestic violence and industial accidents. She still doesn’t drink, but believes that in this era a message of self-control is better than a message of abstinence.
For me, I would highlight event-driven evangelism – the big Bilyl Graham style crusade or the sunday evening evangelical “gospel” service. I do believe these did work once, but now they are counter-productive.
i use the whack pack occasionally in meetings, but i flick through them often when i’m sitting at my desk feeling uninspired. they’re good for that.
i love this question. i love that it validates the stuff that’s not working now by honouring its rightness in the past (much easier for people to let stuff go if they know they haven’t been wrong all along). i also love that it sets a challenge for me to remember that what’s right now will one day be wrong. which is both liberating and humbling. i have to hold lightly to all the things i’m sure of.
[i think i’d want to ask the question about sunday schools and ordination… as we know them, anyway…]
on an environmental level, every family owning their own car(s).
Here are a few;
British people are basically Christian.
Women can’t be bishops because they wouldn’t command enough respect in society.
War is a necessary evil.
Big floppy perms look masculine.
Australia is a good place to send convicts.
The best way to help the poor is to liberalise the economy.
The best way to help the poor is to lend vats sums of money to developing countries.
It’s OK for church services to be the same every week.
Hydrogenated fats are great food additives.
To get adults into church, run activities for their children.
But some things are just wrong, and always have been.
e.g Women can’t be bishops because God says it’s wrong.
Eddie Murphy.
Jonny,
These are fascinating comments on your site. I guess the question you posed is pretty open-ended, though. Your readers responses give me a different perspective (compared to the business ones I usually get).
Good luck!
Roger
whats not masculine about big floppy perms?
Dear Friends,
Here is an opportunity to get together and not only be the change but drive the change we want to see in the world.
It takes ONE old mother to ensure that a minister responsible for her son’s murder is arrested, it takes ONE child to create a movement to reach out to lesser privileged children, it takes ONE old man in Chennai to file a Public Interest Litigation against the State to ensure smooth traffic for all, it takes ONE homemaker and mother to take on a large corporate entity responsible for environmental pollution, it takes ONE simple common man to file a case to make the Right to Information process less cumbersome and more accessible, it takes ONE young lady to report a story on how people have not been given their election ID cards to ensure an unfair electoral process, it takes ONE prisoner to stand up for rights for people in judicial custody, it takes one citizen to file a consumer case against a multinational bank for false billing and unethical practices and get the Bank to pay a 2.5 million penalty and uphold consumer rights, it takes ONE of many students and citizens to light candles and stand up and ensure the reopening of the Jessica Lall case.
It is all a demonstration of the power of ONE as it is every ONE person who is responsible for a truly functional democracy by governing the Government that we have chosen and elected.
All the above cases are true stories and there is hope. The hope that we can come together to address every wrong. Rather than just condemning and blaming various powers, not doing anything ourselves, and succumbing to these forces it is we who are to blame for all the wrongs happening to us and around us. As citizens of the world’s largest democracy it is important for us to realise that each of us has a responsibility of working together with the various forces towards creating a just, humane, caring and responsible society.
It is time to stop just waiting for change to happen or someone else to drive the change. We should blame ourselves more than anyone else for the mishaps. It is time for each of us to be the change that we want to see in our beloved country. If we do not do so, we have no right to point fingers and blame others. It is time to not just be proud of being the world’s largest democracy but also to contribute to this democracy by practicing our civic and fundamental rights and taking stands and speaking out.
We live in our limited environment and feel good that India is shining as we forget that the larger part of our population is marginalised and impoverished and it is our apathy that is to blame for this. We have never taken a stand asking for accountability as all money spent by Government is from our taxes. We feel good by giving a little money to charities but it is time to stop JUST GIVING and practice Philanthropy for Social Justice where we get involved with causes by understanding social issues and reaching out to the under served children and communities with a social investment of time, understanding and caring.
This is the spirit we have captured in the logo of the conclave and awards as we truly believe that it is each citizen who is the hope of this country and if we all reach out to light the candle rather than cursing the darkness, a better India and a better world is possible. Do not under estimate the power of ONE. It is you the ONE citizen who can lead the change and create the movement. You and I together can move mountains. You and I together can try to RIGHT every WRONG.
With warm regards from
All the people and associations who have come together to rekindle the spirit of our constitutional pledge (“We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens justice, social, economic and political, liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. Equality of status and of opportunity and to promote among them all. Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation. In our constituent assembly this 26th day of November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this constitution.”)
by making 26th of November as the National Social Justice & Action day. But as proactive citizens, let us remember that humanity is sustained and all of us should live everyday as the National Social Justice & Action Day.
P.S. We started planning this movement 5 years ago and wanted to build a conclave and awards on Corporate social responsibility and good governance and that idea has now been adopted by various institutes and associations. However our thinking changed and it took us time to build this up as it was difficult putting the concept of citizen action together as most supporters felt it may be a futile exercise. However we felt that if citizens are not responsible how can government, companies, media be responsible as finally all these sectors are run by people and citizens, hence citizen action is paramount for social responsibility and good governance in any sector. After years of struggling we now find that people love the idea as they have realised citizen action for social justice and responsibility is the hope for this great nation. We all dream of a truly great nation and an India shining and that dream is possible when the people shall rise to make this a great nation. We the people are we the power and the hope for social justice & responsibility and good governance for every citizen in our beloved country.