I think these would qualify as interesting times.

Now, for some reason, an old saying or idiom came to mind: 'The king has no clothes.' This saying comes from a short story by Hans Christian Anderson written in 1935 called The Emperor's New Clothes. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been a long time since I read it, but it goes something like this: a rather vain king or emperor wanted a very fancy outfit to wear in a parade to impress his subjects. A group of court tailors convinced him that they could make a really spectacular outfit and it was so special, that only true believers and very intelligent people would be able see it. So, the king hired them at an exorbitant fee.

The tailors assured the king that they were working day and night to get the magnificent outfit finished but they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 allow any sneak peeks and insisted that they be the ones to dress the king. The big day came and amid much pomp and pageantry they went about the motions of dressing the king and there was a lot of oohing and aahing.

Now the king and his courtiers werenSA国际影视传媒檛 about to admit that they werenSA国际影视传媒檛 intelligent enough to see the clothes. The king got ready to lead the parade and everyone was excited. The tailors were paid in bags of gold for a job well done and as the parade got underway, they were in a rush to get to the border and cross into another realm. Meanwhile, everyone along the parade route clapped and cheered.

Then one little boy was heard to say, "But, but, the king has no clothes on!" Other than his underwear, of course. This broke the spell. Suddenly people began to snicker, giggle and laugh because it was plain to see the king had no clothes.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a great little story everyone should read, and they should teach it in our schools. The expression SA国际影视传媒渢he king has no clothesSA国际影视传媒� has taken on a life of its own and if you look it up on the internet, it is describes a situation where people are afraid to criticize or stand up to someone in a position of power, especially when they are doing something wrong. 

Sound familiar? Political leaders seem to do this far more than they should, but it is by no means confined to politics and government. A lot of businesses and companies do it as well.

It is also interesting that a short story can, in a very entertaining way, illustrate a problem like this. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what art and literature are all about - they can entertain you and, at the same time, get some very important points across. So, we need more writers, artists and entertainers.

I was a little disappointed to hear that they plan to close all the learning centres in the communities. I really think those in charge should rethink that plan and come up with ways to make them more useful. Education should be a lifetime pursuit, and the centres could be used for that to become a cultural hub for the communities. Classical education is good, but teaching people other things that can make their lives better can also be very important. You can also teach people how to be self-employed or become entrepreneurs and run their own businesses.

Teach people how to build a bush cabin, sharpen an axe, clean a fish or cook more tasty and nutritious meals. How to write a story, do a drawing or create a painting. Teach things that make people lives more interesting and enjoyable. How to play a musical instrument, write a song, record it and sell it.

There is no end of things to learn and do, so we need to redefine what an education is and how to adapt things for people who live in the smaller communities. Rather then closing down the educational centres, maybe they should rethink what they can be used for. 

Just a thought during these interesting times.