The Blind Men And The Twitterphant: A Fable
Five blind men were walking through the jungle one day, when they heard the cry of a mighty beast. “It must be the legendary Twitterphant” they said. They hurried in the direction of the sound, and each crept up on the animal from a different direction.
The first blind man was a marketing consultant, and he reached out and touched the Twitterphant’s trunk. “This makes a noise that anyone in the jungle could hear!” he said. “What a useful animal!”
The second blind man was a citizen journalist, and he felt the Twitterphant’s powerful leg. “It is like the trunk of a mighty tree!” he cried, “I could climb it and then I would know anything that happens in the jungle, as soon as it took place!”
The third blind man was an entertainment reporter, and he felt the Twitterphant’s beautiful tusk. “The finest ivory!” he breathed in wonder, “This beast must be the chosen steed of celebrities, and if I follow it I will know their ways better.”
The fourth blind man was an ordinary fellow, and he reached out and put his hand on the Twitterphant’s broad flank. “Hmm,” he said, disappointed, “It is like a wall. But I already have a Wall to write on - and play Lexulous too. I’m not sure what the point is.”
And the fifth blind man was a lifestyle correspondent, and he reached out and stuck his hand up the Twitterphant’s arse. “Ugh!” he cried, recoiling, “It’s a load of crap! Only morons would have anything to do with this.”
And so the five blind men went their separate ways, ready to describe this creature that the world might know it better. And behind them in the clearing, the Twitterphant simply went on quietly grazing.
(I am hardly the first person to have remixed this fable in Twitter terms, but I think I am the first to outline the blind men’s findings in detail. I hope you enjoyed it.)
