OPENING DOORS FROM AN OBLIQUE ANGLE

An important practice is coming at one's subject matter from an oblique angle. This is the opposite of what feels more intuitive—to come at something straightforwardly. 

There are two ways we can come at this problem from an oblique angle. One is to approach it through an oblique medium or discipline. Another approach is through an oblique subject matter - leaving our subject matter entirely and studying a related subject matter.