Parallel thinking

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The Greek gang of three, early in their career. From left, Plato[1], "young scholar"[2], and Aristotle[3].

Parallel thinking is a term liberally stolen by Edward de Bono.[4]Parallel Thinking is described as a constructive alternative to "arguing", debate and is used in de Bono's Ministry of Silly Hats method. It is also considered an alternative to the GG3 (Greek gang of three) approach.[5]

In general parallel thinking is a further development of the Lateral Thinking processes. In short it focuses on what isn't there, rather than what is. It is one of the major elements in mastering the Jedi mind trick. You don't try and bend the spoon with your mind, that's impossible. Instead... only try to realise the truth, there is no spoon. Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

Definition[edit | edit source]

An illustration of divergent thought patterns.

Parallel Thinking is defined as a thinking process where focus is split in specific directions. As such it isn't so much "Parallel" as "divergent." As Parallel line go in the same direction (although not at the same velocity[6]), Divergent lines go in two different directions, like a fork in the road. In fact the entire concept is extremely poorly named, and should go back to the drawing board.

When done in a group it effectively avoids the consequences of the adversarial approach, which is a balanced weighing of pro's and cons, an often more logical approach[7]

Crucial to the method is that the process is done in a disciplined manner. Unfortunately as this does not happen in real life as a regular occurrence, this method is looked as as an ideal rather than a realistic practise, and is often abandoned for the more common paths of structured debate or the other de Bono method.

de Bono on Parallel thinking[edit | edit source]


de Bono is well known for having the unique ability to be able to parallel think without anybody else in the room.

Implementations[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

Footnotes[edit | edit source]

  1. Best know for his work in this movie, Plato became somewhat neglected after being advised that he was no longer a planet.
  2. Uncredited in almost all that he did, he later went on to do some of his finest work with Guns N' Roses.
  3. With the most successful latter career, he went on to do some of his finest work in "Independence Day"
  4. Edward De Bono, Parallel thinking: Thinking Without Knocking Over the Cones, 1994 ISBN 0-MILL1ION-0 4.1
  5. Ibid. What, you think I was going to read more than one book?.
  6. Because they are lines, which is a 2 dimensional shape not containing any mass, and therefore cannot be said to have any speed at all as it does not move in three dimensional space
  7. But as Prostitution and Confidence Trickery is illegal in many parts of the world, not as often used.

Toenotes[edit | edit source]

4.1 A bunch of other people also wrote other books on this idea as well, in what is known as parallel marketing4.11. What you do is you take an idea that has been successful and sold well, and then re-written it in your own words, and published it as though it were something new and exciting. Kind of like Digimon was to Pokemon, GoBots to Transformers, and the Gutenburg Press was to Bi Sheng. Yes, that is an historical reference, but I'm sure it mentions the Gobots in Wikipedia.

Toenail notes[edit | edit source]

4.11 This is also what is referred to as Thinking outside the box. That is also related to this and to lateral thought. It's almost as though the three concepts were invented by the same person.
Spork.jpg This page was originally Parallel Marketed4.1 from Wikipedia and yet somehow has about twice as much content.