- #1
PrudensOptimus
- 641
- 0
For want of a nail, the Kingdom was lost!
The Power of a Single Nail: How it Led to the Loss of a Kingdom
In summary, this conversation discusses the importance of a small detail, represented by a nail, and how its absence can have a chain reaction leading to significant consequences. This idea is illustrated through a story in which a project is deemed useless and unpleasant until it is viewed from a different perspective. The conversation concludes with the suggestion to contribute to a favorite-quote thread.
- #2
Cyrus
- 3,238
- 16
I don't get it, what does the nail represent?
- #3
PrudensOptimus
- 641
- 0
Something small.
- #4
Cyrus
- 3,238
- 16
I guess it makes more sense in context.
- #5
heartless
- 220
- 2
a chain reaction. There was an ironic story in the old hackerdom about this,
In the beginning was the plan,
and then the specification;
And the plan was without form,
and the specification was void.
And darkness
was on the faces of the implementors thereof;
And they spake unto their leader,
saying:
"It is a crock of ****,
and smells as of a sewer."
And the leader took pity on them,
and spoke to the project leader:
"It is a crock of excrement,
and none may abide the odor thereof."
And the project leader
spake unto his section head, saying:
"It is a container of excrement,
and it is very strong, such that none may abide it."
The section head then hurried to his department manager,
and informed him thus:
"It is a vessel of fertilizer,
and none may abide its strength."
The department manager carried these words
to his general manager,
and spoke unto him
saying:
"It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants,
and it is very strong."
And so it was that the general manager rejoiced
and delivered the good news unto the Vice President.
"It promoteth growth,
and it is very powerful."
The Vice President rushed to the President's side,
and joyously exclaimed:
"This powerful new software product
will promote the growth of the company!"
And the President looked upon the product,
and saw that it was very good.
Anyway, I suggest, you PrudensOptimus should rather contribute to the already existing favorite-quote thread,
// edit, oops forgot,
Cyrus, a real nail :)
Here's full text:
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost;
For want of the shoe, the horse was lost;
For want of the horse, the rider was lost;
For want of the rider, the battle was lost;
For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost;
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail
In the beginning was the plan,
and then the specification;
And the plan was without form,
and the specification was void.
And darkness
was on the faces of the implementors thereof;
And they spake unto their leader,
saying:
"It is a crock of ****,
and smells as of a sewer."
And the leader took pity on them,
and spoke to the project leader:
"It is a crock of excrement,
and none may abide the odor thereof."
And the project leader
spake unto his section head, saying:
"It is a container of excrement,
and it is very strong, such that none may abide it."
The section head then hurried to his department manager,
and informed him thus:
"It is a vessel of fertilizer,
and none may abide its strength."
The department manager carried these words
to his general manager,
and spoke unto him
saying:
"It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants,
and it is very strong."
And so it was that the general manager rejoiced
and delivered the good news unto the Vice President.
"It promoteth growth,
and it is very powerful."
The Vice President rushed to the President's side,
and joyously exclaimed:
"This powerful new software product
will promote the growth of the company!"
And the President looked upon the product,
and saw that it was very good.
Anyway, I suggest, you PrudensOptimus should rather contribute to the already existing favorite-quote thread,
// edit, oops forgot,
Cyrus, a real nail :)
Here's full text:
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost;
For want of the shoe, the horse was lost;
For want of the horse, the rider was lost;
For want of the rider, the battle was lost;
For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost;
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail
Last edited:
- #6
fourier jr
- 765
- 13
the quotes thread is here:1. How did a single nail lead to the loss of a kingdom?
The power of a single nail may seem insignificant, but in the case of the loss of a kingdom, it played a crucial role. This nail was used to secure the horseshoe of a horse belonging to the king's messenger. However, the nail broke, causing the horseshoe to fall off and the messenger to be delayed. This delay led to a series of events that ultimately resulted in the loss of the kingdom.
2. What were the consequences of the single nail breaking?
The consequences of the single nail breaking were significant. The delay of the messenger caused a crucial message to not reach the king in time, resulting in him not being able to make an important decision. This decision would have changed the outcome of a battle, ultimately leading to the loss of the kingdom.
3. Could the loss of the kingdom have been prevented if the nail was not broken?
It is impossible to say for certain, but it is likely that the loss of the kingdom could have been prevented if the nail had not broken. The delay caused by the broken nail was a key factor in the series of events that led to the kingdom's downfall. If the messenger had arrived on time, the king may have been able to make a different decision that would have changed the outcome of the battle.
4. What lessons can be learned from the power of a single nail?
The power of a single nail teaches us the importance of even the smallest details. It also highlights the butterfly effect, where a small action can have significant consequences. This story serves as a reminder to always pay attention to even the smallest details and to never underestimate their impact.
5. Is there scientific evidence to support the power of a single nail?
While this story may be fictional, it is based on the concept of the butterfly effect, which has been studied and supported by chaos theory. This theory states that small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes. Therefore, there is scientific evidence to support the idea that a single nail can have a significant impact on the course of events.
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