As we enter the final decade of the 20th century, we face a huge number of problems in the political, social and economic fields. How are we to control the drugs epidemic? What can be done to eradicate poverty in third world countries, and in particular relieve their burden of debt? How should the West respond to the changes in Eastern Europe? These are the kinds of problems that seem to defy traditional thinking and analysis. It is Edward De Bono's view, developed in this book, that this is the case - our traditional thinking systems are both inadequate and dangerous. Inadequate because they lack the necessary generative and creative skills - and dangerous because they encourage polarization and righteous belief in one's own position.