On The Ning Nang Nong

Discussion in 'Education & Personal Growth' started by Iravati, Apr 5, 2017.

  1. Iravati

    Iravati Platinum IL'ite

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    Find your stone soup

    I love when management lessons are steeped in amusing folklore and not frayed jargon.

    One such story that I revisited in my itinerant explorations.

    Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful and which they would be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor.

    The villager, who anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so these are added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not yet reached its full potential. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, the stone (being inedible) is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by travelers and villagers alike. Although the travelers have thus tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, they have successfully transformed it into a tasty and nutritious meal which they share with the donors.

    There may be latent good-will and distinctive talent but you need the mythical 'stone' to bring them all together into a soup. Wonder, what that metaphoric stone is in real life management lessons.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2018
  2. Endlesshope

    Endlesshope Platinum IL'ite

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    Operating Costs may be ?
    And this makes nice bed time story too
     
  3. okonomi

    okonomi New IL'ite

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    When one has curious, but recalcitrant hosts, the travellers had used attention grabbing silliness. Perhaps that attention grabbing silliness (at the right sort of audience) is the metaphoric stone for life.
     
  4. Iravati

    Iravati Platinum IL'ite

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    You both are consummate thinkers! Here's my spin on the wayward stone. The metaphoric stone is the unfaithful representation of 'charisma' over 'intelligence' and 'muscle'. Only the charismatic leaders, honchos and helmsmen can pull in intelligence and muscle for an undertaking. There is stranded talent lurking in all of us that answers only to that tactful crowd-puller. Moral of the story: More than inherent talent, your sly ability to recognize other's talent and putting it to good use should lead you to success.

    I mentioned that the first dig at the metaphor was unfaithful. A faithful metaphor is to pack enough stones and sticks on your travels to gratify farcicality not knowing which gimpel believes in what from their own insecurities and vulnerabilities and suspension of rationality.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2018
  5. Endlesshope

    Endlesshope Platinum IL'ite

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    So stone soup made it to bed time stories last night . I usually end my stories with so the lesson learnt is “x” - Whole another question about should stories have parting teachings and should I instill my child etc etc .
    After the story , the 4 year old child goes so what do I learn . All I could say was “ stay curious , you never know what you will learn or eat “ :grimacing: .
     
  6. Iravati

    Iravati Platinum IL'ite

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    Long ago as a seven-year-old, I read this story in Tinkle comic.

    A boy pupil with a hair-choti is learning Sanskrit at school.
    His teacher shouts, "Everyone listen, <taata shirash> means 'my head'."

    In the evening, he returns home and revises his lessons.

    "<taata shirash> means teacher's head."
    "<taata shirash> means teacher's head."

    His father happens to notice the boy's egregious ways and scowls at him.

    "What are you learning at school? <taata shirash> means my head, my head, do you understand?"

    The boy is confounded. His father walks away. Then in a prophetic spark he recites,

    "<taata shirash> means teacher's head in school."
    "<taata shirash> means father's head at home."
    "<taata shirash> means teacher's head in school."
    "<taata shirash> means father's head at home."

    upload_2018-5-17_21-19-40.png

    Till date, I haven't grasped the learning but I am staying curious to figure out whose head it is eventually.
     
  7. okonomi

    okonomi New IL'ite

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    Thinking on the topic of soups would be "Consommétte".

    Ha... unless you have unexpected guests, no need to stretch the soup.
     
  8. Iravati

    Iravati Platinum IL'ite

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    The leap from Japanese grill to French broth can only be catalysed in a cauldron by the legendary stone, not any stone. (I like your okonomi moniker, stylish and distinctive.)

    4CEB8EEC-D61A-453B-99DD-F92BD71A8D7E.png
     
  9. Endlesshope

    Endlesshope Platinum IL'ite

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    Nothing to add to the pho-tastic convo but aiyeeeee!! How happy memories come flooding at the sight of the gaul.
     
  10. okonomi

    okonomi New IL'ite

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    Obelix seems to be headed to a potluck party....i.e., to get a fix.
    To ELH:
    Intelligence (noodle), muscle (beef), and Charisma(special sauce) all go into the Pho.
    pot-au-feu origin of pho
    Why Pho Is Really Pronounced 'Fuh'
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2018

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