Compass

There was once a little village inhabited by simple people. In the past however, they had a wise man who taught them how to use compass (and left a whole stack of it in a warehouse). Anyway, years passed and this story about the wise man was long forgotten. Meanwhile, the people continued to use the compass to find their way (they had very lousy sense of direction you see).

One day, someone dropped his compass. As a result, the compass spoils and no longer pointed the correct direction. He often got lost as a result. Initially, he was quite confused. That which had always worked no longer works. But soon, he became disillusioned. In fact, he started to tell others that in reality, there is no such thing as a correct direction that is "North". "North", he said, is where the compass points to, including his own. Yes, his pointed in a different direction from everyone else's. But that doesn't mean that his is a wrong direction. In fact, there was once he followed his compass and it lead him to an old man who needs help. That seems to prove his point that he can be correct as well as others. So, why follow the rigid way of thinking, of conforming to what the older people (there were some rumors of that man who first taught them about compasses)thought?

Some people then started to drop their compasses and spoiled them. They started to follow the direction their compass pointed. However, soon, they realized that it did not bring them to where they needed to go. Sure, sometimes there were happy coincidences. But most of the time, they got lost.

More time passed, and the number of people with broken compasses increased. They continued to follow their broken compasses although it did not lead them to where they need to. One day, someone got so irritated with this that he declared that compasses are useless. After all, people are still getting lost. In fact, there is probably no such thing as a "bar magnet" (which was rumored to be the thing that made compasses work), since people are still getting lost.

Some people disagreed. If there was no such thing as bar magnet, then how could there be a true North which compass pointed to? And if there was no True North, how can there be a "correct direction" which the compass is supposed to lead? In that case, there how can there be a concept of getting lost (if there is no right direction) by which you conclude that there is no bar magnet? The problem, they say, must lie somewhere else.

Soon, a great debate occured. The town hall was soon filled with noises. Neither side could prove the other wrong, for all these were more or less speculations. However, in walked a scientist from a distant land. He walked in and told the people about the theory of magnetism. Some people believed him. Others rediculed him. "How could you believe in such an old fashioned idea" they said. In fact, some were so worked up that they threw him out of the village. But before he left, he shouted "change your compass".

So, the village continued as usual. Those who believed the scientist changed their compass and stopped getting lost. They tried to tell others, but they did not believe, save for a hand full who did and stopped getting lost.

:))