Out of the box! 

In the early 1600s, the very contemplation of natural life was quite incommensurable from what it is today for people. Other than the fact that modern day technology was simply absent, the thought process of common folk was driven by pre-established higher authority individuals who used all sorts of means to propel the mindset of innocent believers to comprehend the most illogical facts. May it be the consideration of humans to be the only organisms to possess the oral glands or may it be the estimated age of the universe itself. Almost all of these theories were flawed in actuality but the people believing it were amaurotic in terms of their understanding because of the fear of the consequences of rivalling the higher authorities. Amidst this pandemonium of thought, emerged a bold and headstrong man, Nicolas Steno. A Danish scientist by profession, he recognized that the so-called theories were quite outlandish, he gave them a pragmatic approach instead of merely succumbing to their belief.

He unravelled the reality that the presence of oral salivary glands is an omnipresent phenomenon when he dissected the dead remains of domestic animals to figure this out. When he dissected a shark, he observed the structure of their teeth which happened to possess a striking resemblance to the rocks that are usually found underneath the topsoil layers. The conventional notion of these rocks was that they were deemed to be ancient entities falling from the sky. In reality, they were indeed the remains of shark teeth. This was a groundbreaking revelation because it opened doors to understanding the most unfounded realities of natural life. But along with sheer intellect, this story also establishes one of the earliest examples of out of the box thinking.

That’s right, out of the box thinking. A phrase that is usually heard by young learners while they’re attempting to be creative. But let’s cling to this thought for a while and try thinking about a profound question. What exactly is this ‘Box’? It may seem that the box consists of all dreary and woeful thoughts, but in reality, it represents thoughts that are generated by a generic mind. Any idea that is quite literal and ordinary, finds its place in the box. So, thinking out of the box lucidly implies thinking of an idea that’s rather inconceivable and uncommon. It might sound easy but not everyone is proficient at it. But all said and done, out of the box thinking is undeniably the tool that has fabricated the modern world.

For instance, the mobile phones that have inexplicably captivated the young and the old wouldn’t have been so advanced today if Steve Jobs and his team at Apple hadn’t reinvented the phone by introducing the legendary iPhone, an idea that’s quite out of the box. The company Tesla has caused a revolution in the world of automobiles by introducing an array of electric vehicles that have set the stage for future automobiles when the market is dominated with petrol vehicles. Now that’s what I call an out of the box idea. Each and every exciting feature of the modern world was once sitting inside the head of a voracious and innovative mind and without the tool of out of the box thinking, the world as we know it today would be unimaginably different and dismal.

But out of the box thinking isn’t exclusive to just innovation and ingenuity alone. In the mid 1900s, African Americans were subject to large amount of social discrimination which was completely horrendous and vindictive. Most people particularly women were thriving in the most horrifying conditions. When a bus driver asked an African American lady to relinquish her seat, instead of throwing in the towel, she strongly fulminated against the perpetrators and ended up kick-starting one of the most radical movements that reshaped the social scenario of America and also became the first lady to participate and head the civil rights movement. She was none other than Rosa Parks. Along with courage and valour, she actually displayed an out of the box approach to the scenario which gave her a fortuitous result.

Back in the era when the most sought-after weapon of choice chosen by each warrior was the sword and shield, a mighty leader, Genghis Khan opted to use a weapon that isn’t used at close range and is rather useful at a farther distance, the bow and arrow. He made it the pinnacle of his weapon inventory and it allowed him to conquer and rule one of the most magnanimously huge empires. Irrespective of his reprobate intentions, this was truly an out of the box idea that enhanced the strength of his army

As a bottom-line, I feel that we are always offered two choices in every scenario. To have a generic thought process that may or may not help us in the long run, or to have a unique picturesque alternative that makes a difference and upscales the quality of our expedition towards our goals. So, the next time you find yourself captive inside the infamous ‘Box’, just keep calm and pry your way out towards the resplendent opportunities that lie outside waiting to be attained!

That’s all for this one. Hope it was enjoyable. Share it on if it was enlightening. Also do share any out of the box idea you have ever had in the comments.

Signing off!