Culture

 

Can you see the elephant in the room?

The elephant is a crafty animal that appears and disappears at all forms of gatherings. It finds its way into all rooms. From the boardroom to the changing room.  It is found in the men's room, the ladies room and even the bedroom. Despite its obvious large size, it has never had its entry challenged. It can even pass through the eye of a needle. It walks uninhibited among the unsuspecting people. It is found along the corridors of power and the avenues of poverty. The elephant walks through supermarkets and shopping malls without disturbing the shelves. Unlike the bull in a China shop that has to move carefully lest, it upsets something. The elephants moves whether people are upset or not. The animal is very rarely seen or caught. It has on occasion been known to be tamed.  It has one genuine trunk and four other trunks that engage the strongest minds among us. Many believe they are separate and unrelated tree trunks and deal with them as such. It has clear points of view in three different directions. The fact that it is heavy is never in question. Its tiny brain can engage the most educated minds for weeks on end. Its size should not fool you it treads softly and carefully even the most trained of ears cannot hear it lumber past. It arrives at meetings and disperses with the people. At these meetings, it is discussed as issues or may even appear as an agenda. Yet despite these clues, the visually challenged do not seem to have any advantage over those who see things clearly. The elephant is crafty, not because it is stupid, but rather that it knows its craft very well. The elephant is never invited; it simply comes along with the people. Very few people ever see the elephant.   Can you?

If you have seen the elephant, tell me its name.

Allan

May 2011