I remember reading this fable as a kid and thinking that the boy who told the truth was very brave.   This was before the days of never hurting anyone’s feelings, and of everyone being “special.”

Today I saw a picture that a young, overweight, girl had posted of herself, wearing a sweater she had knit.  It was too small and too short.   Every comment told her how wonderful it was.  Every single comment.   Surely there was more than one person thinking the same thing I did?  Surely someone who cared about her could have quietly said, “hon, that really doesn’t look good on you. Maybe you should make it a big bigger next time so it doesn’t show every roll you have?”
Okay, I’ve never been accused of being too tactful.

Are we so afraid of hurting some tender little feelings that we can no longer tell the truth?

A couple of my friends have gone on a diet recently.   They’ve chosen a diet that seems very dangerous to me – it cuts out whole food groups, and from what I’ve read, is not particularly effective once you go off it.   One of them is a self professed sufferer of an eating disorder – she has a long ass complicated name for every little twinge she has – and she refuses to hear anything bad about this diet.   I mentioned to her that this diet worried me.   She pretty much told me to shut up, and all of her friends told her that this was just the most wonderful thing for her to do, and they totally support her!

Your stupid decision does not require my support.