THE STORY OF THE BLIND MEN
AND THE ELEPHANT is a fable that teaches the importance of perspective and
the limitations of subjective experience.
The story:
A group of blind men touch an
elephant to learn what it is like. Each blind man touches a different part of
the elephant, such as the side, tusk, trunk, leg, ear, or tail. Each blind man
comes to a different conclusion about what the elephant is like.
Ø The
first man touches the elephant's trunk and exclaims, "an elephant is like
a thick snake
Ø The
second man touches the elephant's ear and declares, "an elephant is like a
large fan!"
Ø The
third man touches the elephant's leg and says, "an elephant is like a
sturdy tree trunk!"
Ø The
fourth man places his hands on the elephant's side and states, "an
elephant is like a massive wall!"
Ø The
fifth man grabs the tail and confidently claims, "an elephant is like a
rope!"
Ø The
sixth man feels the smooth, curved tusk and asserts, "an elephant is like
a spear!"
Ø The
blind men argue with each other because their descriptions of the elephant are
different.
The moral:
The story teaches that people
tend to claim absolute truths based on their limited experiences.
The story also teaches that
the world is more complex than any one person can understand.
The story originated in the
ancient Indian subcontinent.
The story can be used to
illustrate the need for communication and respect for different perspectives.
Source: Old Stories.
