Childhood fables often teach moral lessons, which last a lifetime. One that stayed with me was “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” The emperor was naked, of course, and everybody knew it, but only one person dared to point it out, and that person was a child. I decided to be like that child.
While the emperor paraded around, he persuaded some that he was clothed “beautifully,” “as never seen before.” “Many people told him so,” and didn’t want to be “losers,” so it was not “fake,” and his clothes were “incredible,” as stated by the ruler himself, who said, “Trust me.”
The little kid was not impressed. He was not infected by cognitive dissonance. He saw through the lies. The truth was obvious and compelling. The emperor was naked. Period. The kid needed nothing from him, and did not like liars anyway. So he continued to point out the ruler’s nakedness.
We need more people like that child. Truth is always more compelling than lies. Or should be. The Bible says, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” If we are to be free, we must pursue truth, not prejudices, not biases, not opinions, not partisanship, not tribalism. Truth!
