In-depth Analysis of The emperor s New Clothes: stating the Obvious By Windfieldo July 30, 2011 For the

benefit of those who did not read the story, I will give you a brief summary, assuming that some of you are less fortunate that you failed to encounter such story in your childhood hence failed to acquire the lesson it offers. Once there was an emperor who loved wearing new clothes on every occasion. He hired a new tailor who promised to provide the best suit of unequal beauty in exchange of a big amount. The work took some time that the emperor could not wait and sent his trusted men to check it. The trusted fellow saw nothing but the shrewd tailor told him that the cloth was so special only honest men could see it. Fearing that his dishonesty be known, lied, telling the emperor it was so elegant. Such incident was repeated many times including the emperor, when he was, at last, to wear the invisible suit. When a child finally expressed his innocent opinion, only then that all the officials realized they were fooled, or perhaps only then did they accept openly that they were fooling. The late reaction enabled the tailor to escape unscathed. The story tells a plain lesson of honesty. A lesson so obvious but no one felt any guilt of their own. The emperor was fooled himself because he was dishonest hence maintain his identity as such and was fooled. The officials, fearing their own actions not fitting to their current position be unveiled, were foolishly acting as accomplices of the grand scheme perfectly devised for the crooked authorities. Such allegory, written long time ago, intended to teach children the value of honesty, continues to serve as a good lesson until today. The characters mentioned in the story, also continued to exist to this very day and remain foolish. The leaders find ways making alibis to cover their wrongdoings from expenses of their offices to the procurement of second hand helicopters (current blunder to RP government). Alibis range from simple to more complex. Some officials would claim that the personnel under them cannot see the truth sense they are just seeing things at their level and cannot see the noble act of what they are doing. They are suggesting the subordinates to ignore the obvious and pretend that everything is fine. In the case of the purchase of second hand helicopters, the officials deny their involvement and pass the blame to the supplier. They failed to see the error for two years, until someone cried out. They pretended not to see; our eyes can be closed any time we want anyway. The two examples are so relevant with the story. When the officials chose not to see the wrong and acted like they are doing what is right, they simply acted like the emperor and his officials. The Filipino idea that no one shall start uncovering the wrongdoing of others if he himself is a sinner is deeply rooted to the Filipino s misinterpretation of the bible. But subconsciously, it is a fear that he might be placed on similar situation. Such culture is a fertile ground for more breed of corrupt officials. What if, in the story of Jesus saving Mary Magdalene, Jesus wrote these words to ward off the punishers: I saw you with Mary Magdalene the other day. Throw the first stone and your wife will know. it is just a hypothesis. We all know that Jesus plainly said: anyone without sin may cast the first stone Jesus acting like the child, and all the men went home with shame like the emperor himself. But again, a misinterpretation of the bible since it also says: If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. A child crying that the emperor has no clothes should not be held responsible of the disaster. In our own society though, these children are rounded up and taught to remain silent. Dishonesty is parallel to homosexuality; an abomination but continues to thrive.