WHEN WADING through the words of pundits and the babble of political posturing, I can’t help but think of some of the simple truths we learned as children.
Remember those stories from Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, and the Grimm brothers that enthralled us while imparting powerful messages?
I thought of one of these tales while listening to the CBC’s Peter Mansbridge interview Prime Minister Stephen Harper earlier this year.
The prime minister claimed Canadians were only concerned about the economy and that Canada’s possible involvement with torture in Afghanistan was not a serious concern. Mr. Harper ignored the massive public demand for leadership on climate change that preceded Copenhagen. The tale that comes to mind is the story of the emperor who wore no clothes.
Long ago, a vain emperor was overly concerned about his appearance. Two crafty weavers promised to make him a fine outfit from material that could not be seen by those who were stupid or unfit for their position.
When the weavers pretended to display samples, the emperor couldn’t admit he was unable to see them, for that would be an admission of incompetence or stupidity. His courtiers and ministers were likewise unable to admit they saw nothing. When the weavers came with the finished outfit, everyone “oohed” and “aahed.”
Putting on the imaginary clothes, the emperor paraded outside so the public could admire his new attire. Everyone in the crowd, enthralled by the status of the king and bowed by their desire to be seen as clever and fashionable, remained silent. Only a child, innocent of the claims of the weavers, pointed out the obvious: “The emperor has no clothes.”
We are living in a time when ecological degradation is occurring everywhere. B.C.’s northern forests have turned red, victims of mountain pine beetles no longer killed by winters that have become too warm. Farmers know harvest time is later; birders report birds migrating north two weeks earlier and departing weeks later than normal; competitive skiers tell us European meets are being cancelled for lack of snow.
But where the emperor and his sycophantic subjects were blinded by vanity, we are prevented from seeing by the cloak of economics and politics.
Let’s throw off the blinders and see the world as any child can.
