Socrates or a pig

I encounter 2 good questions today. The question is in fact the topic of a podcast. It is:

‘Is it happier to be Socrates or a pig?’

The podcast is about whether it is worthwhile to be a thinker. Whilst Socrates is considered the greatest thinker, the podcast author argued that he may not be happier than a pig which is known to be leading simple-minded life. The topic can in fact be ‘Is it worthwhile to be a thinker’ But it will be much less vivid and mind-provoking than the one actually asked

I heard about the 2nd good question in a leadership workshop. The facilitator was to get the learners think about what leadership quality is needed. Instead of asking a question like ‘What do you think of the most important leadership quality?’, he asked:

‘What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?’

I like this question because:

1. The learners would love to answer it since people love to talk / think about their own history

2. The answer would be more concrete instead of just a laundry list

3. The learners will naturally possess the responsibility to exhibit such quality to their subordinates