AN ANCIENT METAPHOR OF HUMAN IGNORANCE

An ancient Indian folk tale describes six blind men who seek to learn about a large and mysterious beast known as an “ elephant.”  Since they are all blind, none of them are able to actually see the large animal –they are each only able to experience a part of the elephant.  Yet, each man in his ignorance of the other parts, believes he is experiencing the whole elephant, and discounts the other men's descriptions of the elephant which differ so vastly from his own.  

This story illustrates the common mistakes people make when they are convinced their perception is the only right one.  Most people are not even aware that what they are experiencing is merely one point of view – they just think they are experiencing “ Reality as it IS.” 

The most interesting part about this story is that since none of the men can experience the elephant in its entirety on his own, the only way to fully grasp the whole thing would be to share and accept each others' perceptions and then add them all together.  If each men were able to do this, the entire picture of the elephant could be realized.  But, in their utter insistence on being right, each man is doomed to never see the entire picture. 

This is the very same mistake couples, families, and individuals make when they do not allow themselves to consider each others' points of view.  This cuts them off from seeing the “ bigger picture”  and dooms them to be right at the expense of the relationship itself.  It shuts down any opportunity for others to share or contribute to the relationship. 

Below is a poem which artfully describes this story.
 

The Blind Men and The Elephant

by John Godfrey Saxe (1816 – 1887)

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind

The First approached the Elephant, 
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

Moral:
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!