While many find the new clothes of the emperor magnificent, some dare to say out loud, he is simply naked. If the clear sighted are constrained by the credulous and when the “followers” are browbeating the “knowers”, the cat is among the pigeons and the age of obscuration is under way. Obviously “something wicked this way comes… – Erik Pevernagie
Plot synopsis of The Emperor Has No Clothes
Many years ago there lived an emperor who cared only about his clothes and about showing them off. One day he heard from two swindlers, they could make the finest suit of clothes from the most beautiful cloth. This cloth, they said, also had the special capability that it was invisible to anyone who was either stupid or not fit for his position.
Being a bit nervous about whether he himself would be able to see the cloth, the emperor first sent two of his trusted men to see it. Of course, neither would admit that they could not see the cloth and so praised it. All the townspeople had also heard of the cloth and were interested to learn how stupid their neighbors were.
The emperor then allowed himself to be dressed in the clothes for a procession through town, never admitting that he was too unfit and stupid to see what he was wearing. For he was afraid that the other people would think that he was stupid.
Of course, all the townspeople wildly praised the magnificent clothes of the emperor, afraid to admit that they could not see them, until a small child said:
“But he has nothing on”!
This was whispered from person to person until everyone in the crowd was shouting that the emperor had nothing on. The emperor heard it and felt that they were correct, but held his head high and finished the procession.
Found that somewhere….
The story is about a situation where “no one believes, but everyone believes that everyone else believes. Or alternatively, everyone is ignorant to whether the emperor has clothes on or not, but believes that everyone else is not ignorant.” – Hansen, Jens Ulrik (2011). A Logic-Based Approach to Pluralistic Ignorance
I confess. I did not read Jens’ book. But I know what he is talking about.
Right in front of us. In plain sight. You can’t miss it.
Unless you want to.