Comments on: Knowing the “Elephant”

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 03:41:16 +0000

I have heard that poem before and to me it speaks of people not taking the time to get the big picture. In the past we have counted on the media such as television news, news magazines and newspapers to get us the big picture, but I don’t believe much of what is “given” to us. There seems to be other intentions that get in the way of the real story, not a lot of sharing of information. Just think of the creature the blind men would have created if they had taken the time to get together and talk about their observations. They would argue first and then hopefully a wise one would say let’s touch it again. The end result would probably have ended up being an elephant if time and intelligence had come into action.
I fear for the lack of intelligence that I see as an issue, we are so easily led that no one questions.
Deep post Shelly tonight, so timely given the debates.

Thanks, Jen.~skt

By: Thomma Lyn

Thomma Lyn — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:30:16 +0000

I love that poem — it says so much in such an excellent way. A trunk is different from a tusk is different from an elephant ear, yet it is all part of the elephant — and similarly, people often get so fixated on minutiae that they blind themselves to the whole picture, to the larger scheme of things, the broader view.

Happy Blog Blast for Peace Day tomorrow — I am participating, and so are my cats.

Hope your Blog Blast Day is happy, too. Thanks for visiting~skt

By: Comedy Plus

Comedy Plus — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 22:15:48 +0000

Now that is what I call powerful. You nailed it, but I knew you would.

I am sorry about the Sylvester and Tweety post. I took about as long as you too. Duh!

That Sylvester and Tweety was hilarious!~skt

By: Jessica The Rock Chick

Jessica The Rock Chick — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:39:27 +0000

Hi Shelly!

Great post! I’ve never heard that poem before, but I love it!!! How true it is, too.

I’ve been accused of being a “middle of the roader” at times, especially with politics and religion. I think sometimes people look at the smaller differences and make their judgments and decisions based on the tusk or the tail and don’t look at the whole elephant.

I don’t think that any one religion is right or better than any other and I think the “truth” lies somewhere in the middle of all of them. With politics and government, I feel the same way. Too much to the left or the right and I think they’ve lost sight of the whole elephant…or donkey…whichever….

Great post! Loved it!
Jessica

Thank you, Jessica. The Blind Man and the Elephant is one of my favorite folktales to tell to kids. I was re-reading it and realized that it fit with the theme. Whether we are talking religion or politics, everyone’s “truth” is just a little bit different, isn’t it? And, it all seems to be about our own individual perceptions. Now, if we could find a way to get people to accept that other individuals can be a little bit right, too…then maybe peace is a possibility!~skt