Perspectives
Publisher’s Perspective: Volume 4, Issue 3
Recently while speaking to a group of stakeholders concerning protecting our vital underground infrastructure, the topic of amending the current “dig law” to include fair and effective enforcement was discussed. While listening to this discussion, I was reminded of a John Saxe poem from days long since passed.
It was six men of Indostan to learning much inclined, who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind), and 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!
Admittedly there is more than one moral to this story. But one obvious lesson for us to learn is that it is not enough to gather knowledge. It is equally important to learn to share and pool our knowledge.
Instead of fighting among ourselves, it is time to put our experiences and observations together in the best interest of keeping our families and communities safer. That likely means we must exhibit the willingness to sit down at the table of understanding with the intent of seeing the entire truth.
How was it possible that these six blind men could be so right and yet be so completely wrong? Because they would not consider one another’s perspectives, they settled for being half-right. Such half-knowledge is not just useless, but also dangerous.
From another great writer, we are reminded that none of us are so blind as those of us who will not see.
Won’t you at least consider the possibility that there is another part to the elephant?
