In what we do as marketers, our work involves posing and answering a ton of questions, and exploring a slew of ideas - no matter how ridiculous they might seem at the time. We do it in the constant search for "seeing ordinary things in a different way." Why? Because that's usually where breakthrough campaigns come from. 

But for as long as I've done this job, it's still good to remember the trouble with pat answers and taking things for granted.

Last night, my 7-year-old son reminded me of the beauty that comes with an open and creative mind.

He asked, point blank, "Is infinity a number?" (He and his sister use the word infinity to describe "a lot" of just about anything, and/or to win an argument).

To which I said, "No. Infinity is not a number; it's more of an idea." And I felt very happy with myself for teaching him something so obvious.

To which he said, "I don't believe you. I think it is."

So we jumped on the internet and Googled, "Is infinity a number?". And there they were -- lots of results affirming my "No." But then he told me to click on "Dr. Math". So I did. And right there on the Drexel University Dr Math post was another affirmation that infinity is not a number. BUT there was also the very curious sentence: "Even though infinity is not a number, it is possible for one infinite set to contain more things than another infinite set."

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.large.numbers.html

HUH? How can one infinity be bigger than another infinity?

And that's how it started. He and I dove into quite the internet research on infinity and how it might not be a number, but it is much more than just the plain concept I thought it was. Check it out for yourself. And like he and I, your world will be a bit bigger for it.