EDWARD DE BONO'S MESSAGE
19th January 1998

"Thinking Clubs 1"

I shall be travelling extensively over the next few weeks so the messages will all refer to one theme: the setting up of "Thinking Clubs".

Thinking Clubs (1)

Could thinking ever become an enjoyable sport like surfing, skiing and playing tennis? For a few people it may be so already. There are debating societies where people enjoy taking part in debates.

Too often thinking is associated with solving puzzles and brain teasers or doiong cross-words. Many people are put off by the apparent difficulty of such activities. Can thinking be easy and fun?

I believe that it can be both easy and fun if the thinkers use some of the frameworks which have now been in use for many years. It has been the almost total absence of such 'frameworks' which made it difficult to enjoy thinking. A few people do enjoy arguing as such. Many more, including myself, feel that argument is negative, unconstructive and mainly an aggressive ego exercise. Criticism and disagreement are so very easy there can hardly be a true sense of satisfaction.

Thinking Clubs are designed to be places where people can come together to enjoy thinking. They can enjoy thinking individually and also as a group. Over the next few weeks I shall lay out suggestions regarding the setting up of such 'thinking' clubs'.

There is no payment or registration fee though I suggest that clubs register themselves - for communication purposes if nothing else. Registered Thinking Clubs will be shown on this website and from time to time I shall set problems for them.

The main purpose of the thinking clubs is the 'enjoyment of thinking as a hobby'. Being right and persuading others that you are right is not the purpose of the clubs. The development and improvement of thinking skills will almost certainly follow the use of certain frameworks - but important as this may be for individuals, it is not the main purpose of the clubs.

Thinking is by no means the prerogative of university trained graduates. People with very little education - even no schooling - can be brilliant thinkers if the right frames are used. In exactly the same way children can be very capable thinkers. Knowledge and experience are not essential. It is possible to think very well within the boundaries of one's own knowledge. Far too often, education seeks to supplant thinking by knowledge: if you can remember the right answer why bother to think?

In my next message I shall discuss the organisational aspect.

Edward de Bono
18th January 1998