Accolades of the world

In an age where self-promotion reigns supreme, we don’t seem to tire of awards, honors, and endorsements. Yet, many of these accolades celebrate achievements of questionable merit, exchanged between individuals more interested in bolstering their own image than in recognizing genuine accomplishment.

Aesop’s fable of the weasels and the mice. 

Aesop’s fable of the weasels and the mice is a poignant allegory that sheds light on this issue. The weasels and mice were always at war. In every battle the weasels defeated the mice and carried away a large number of them as dinner for the next day. 

The mice were becoming very desperate. They convened a council to devise a strategy to address this issue. They deliberated for days. They concluded that they were not able to fight the weasels because they had no leaders and no strategy for the changing times. They decided to appoint a cadre of generals and commanders who had the capability to lead the mouse army. They spent a lot of time crafting their designations and outfits so that they would stand out from the ordinary folk. The new leaders proudly bound on their heads lofty crests and ornaments of feathers or straw. They started long procedures of training in special skills required for the war. 

One fine day they sent a challenge to the weasels. The weasels promptly attacked the mouse army in large numbers. Within a few minutes they had overpowered the mice. The ordinary mice scampered off as fast as they could to their holes. But the generals and commanders could not get in because of their elaborate ornaments and feathered caps. They were all captured and eaten by the weasels.

This tale serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of prioritizing superficial displays over the real work that needs to be done outside and inside. It is never too late to reevaluate our priorities. To focus on what truly matters, both in our external pursuits and our internal journey towards wisdom and fulfillment.