Think Flat – Does It Sound Negative?

Which is the most negative phrase?
a) Think Positive
b) Think Global
c) Think High
d) Think Ahead
e) Think Flat

What is your answer? Most of the people would select Think Flat as the answer. Flat usually has a negative connotation. Flat reminds us of flat tires or flat beer!

If you have read Tom Friedman’s (The Flatman!) book, the term Flat World might be appealing to you in a positive way. But Infosys’s Think Flat Blog made me ask this question – What exactly does Think Flat mean? Does it mean ‘think for winning in the flat world’? Think Flat does not convey this meaning unless someone explains to you the context in detail.

Negative meaning of flat from Answers.com.

• Lacking interest or excitement; dull: a flat scenario.
• Lacking in flavor: a flat stew that needs salt.
• Having lost effervescence or sparkle: flat beer.
• Deflated. Used of a tire.
• Electrically discharged. Used of a storage battery.
• Of or relating to a horizontal line that displays no ups or downs and signifies the absence of physiological activity: A flat electroencephalogram indicates a loss of brain function.
• Commercially inactive; sluggish: flat sales for the month.
• Unmodulated; monotonous: a flat voice
• Lacking variety in tint or shading; uniform: “The sky was bright but flat, the color of oyster shells” (Anne Tyler).
• Not glossy; mat: flat paint.
• Music – Being below the correct pitch.

I suggest the world being flattened can be called Global Village 2.0! After all, versioining is the standard nomenclature nowadays, like Web 2.0, SOA 2.0 and GDM 2.0!