Think Outside of the Box

Old - Phrase in office-speak suggesting the use of unorthodox approaches to solve otherwise difficult problems. Not a bad phrase, but too many pointy-haired-boss types latched on to it and used it as a knee-jerk response when asked for input, thus blanching it of all meaning.

New - Happy-hour phrase meaning "Get your mind off the poontang - we're talking sports now!"

Old - Cube Monkey: Boss, I'd like your input on this problem.
Boss: Think outside of the box, Monkey.
Cube Monkey: Well, I thought you may have some time-saving insight, since you're paid to be my professional superior and all...
Boss: Just think outside of the box, Monkey!
Cube Monkey: Right. Hey! I'll use the fuckyoubossoscope!
Boss: There you go, Monkey!

New - Guy 1: Think the Rams have a chance this year?
Guy 2: It'll be tough, but anybody can make the playoffs in the NFC... What do you think, Trey?
Guy 3: Did you see the ass on that marketing intern? Damn! I could write a poem about that ass!
Guy 1: Hey, Trey... we're over here... football conversation?
Guy 2: Yeah, Trey - Think outside of the box!

by The Evil Steve September 5, 2005

thinkative

-A past instance of active thought, to deliberate upon a problem or a solution.
-The action of thinking.
-The active analytic process of thinking and organizing information in order to make a decision.

The word date back from early 90's, when during a conversation between two person one needed to describe something but the word "pensive" was not suited to the sentence and thinking was too immediate.

"You seemed very thinkative today Jim! Is there anything wrong?"

by Robert Scales February 15, 2005

Black and white thinkers

Conservatives. They tend to think largely in terms of absolutes. Now don't get me wrong, absolute values are important - by no means do I support moral relativism - but it's necessary to recognize the many shades of grey involved in individual cases too. That is, after all, what situational ethics is all about.
I suspect that many of the conservatives I've met don't recognize these gray areas largely because of their absolutist religious upbringing.

A few scenarios:
A nine year old girl, tragically, is raped and impregnated by her stepfather. What to do? According to the religious absolutist, abortion is, under all circumstances, 100% wrong. Unless the birth is life-threatening, she can't abort.

Moderate: I don't normally support abortion, but here it's necessary.
Liberal: I think abortion is a right that belongs to the mother. I would support her right to choose if this girl was nine or twenty nine, raped or non-raped. (although i would personally disapprove of it in the latter).
Conservative: Fucking baby killers! It's an innocent fucking BABY we're talking about!
(as opposed to a non-sentient cluster of cells, lacking a nervous system and the ability to feel pain)

I had a much better example but the stupid character limit fucked me over.

See my future definition, Conservative Black and White Thinking Disorder for that one.

I blame religion for turning so many conservatives into black and white thinkers.

And this is why I dislike religion - it so often stops people from thinking. If people were encouraged to think in terms of individual cases as opposed to coming to each and every unique situation with a preconceived bias (abortion is MURDER!)...well, I don't know. We might have a better world. Just maybe.

by Submitters of Words June 13, 2011

Think long and hard

A command to think sexual, or think along the lines of an innuendo.

"I haven't seen James or Beth this whole time! Where are they?"
"Think long and hard."

by theblumeanie August 16, 2008

Thinking inside the box

Take off on an overused board room expression, only this one actually has some actual meaning. To think inside the box simply means to have your mind on sex.

Dude, that board room meeting with Hal & Tom was so boring...they kept talking about thinking outside the box all the while while I was thinking inside the box while staring at the copy girl.

by Bangboy July 13, 2009

i think we need to talk

This phrase almost unavoidably consists of "I think we need to break up," "I think we need to see other people," or "I don't think this is working out." Approach with extreme caution whilst using this phrase as your soon-to-be ex girlfriend will probably start bawling at the dinner table before you've even really broken up with her.

i think we need to talk
breakup
ex girlfriend
off the hook

by WhirlyPop5959 February 26, 2014

Partial Thinking

When ideas or opinions are rendered that have not been completely thought through. The stance may change, reverse or stay the same depending on further thoughtfulness, discussion and openness.

The idea that torture is a good way to find information is partial thinking. When including the possibility of misinformation, moral degradation of torturer, inspiring others to be terrorist, and plummeting opinion and respect for our country then on further inspection it seems wrong.

by RikiJon January 4, 2015