The elephant in the room is an English Idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored or goes unaddressed. It is based on the idea that an elephant in a small room would be impossible to overlook. (Wikipedia)Sometimes we do not tackle a problem directly simply because it is a very difficult one and to find a feasible solution is a very time consuming and challenging task. Hence we try to work around the problem, put in some quick fixes to show that we are doing something about it while buying more time, before the unavoidable confrontation of the problem head on one day. We may introduce some measures that will keep the people at the grass root level busy for the time being. We may introduce certain procedure that requires some data-taking and processing to show that we work with data. We send reminders that certain supplied material ought to be used. We insist that certain activities have to be carried out without actually providing practical guidelines and considerations to overcome various constraints. We may pass the problem down without troubling ourselves into many sleepless nights, but at the same time not to make it too obvious that it is so. We delude ourselves with some make-belief results or situations and even celebrate occasionally over these 'successes'. But believe me, one day we still need to acknowledge that the elephant is still in the room.
Sound familiar? I think it should be. Anyway, I need not, should not and certainly cannot make it too obvious for reasons you know, I know and everybody knows. Do comment.
1 comment:
Its true-. No matter what you do, how you pretend to hide it, the truth is out there. How many times, we have come across the 'powers that be blinding themselves to the truth', covering up with excuses, seeing what they choose to see, disregarding what should be and must be...oh well, if they havent yet seen the forest for the trees, how can we the 'little man' get it out with the 'little napoleons', I for one have had my 'expereinces', have seen it all happen, as I am sure the rest have too, but are we allowed to say anything? Yes we choose to be silent at the expense of so many other issues, why, you and I know, why not you may ask, you and I know that as well. The country has turned fifty but alas 'the elephant in the room' remains there, as white and as wide as can be...
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