Friday Fable: Aesop’s “The North Wind and the Sun”*

Posted by jlubans on August 01, 2014

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Caption: Tomie dePaola’s retelling of the fable.

“THE NORTH WIND and the Sun disputed as to which was the most powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the victor who could first strip a wayfaring man of his clothes. The North Wind first tried his power and blew with all his might, but the keener his blasts, the closer the Traveler wrapped his cloak around him, until at last, resigning all hope of victory, the Wind called upon the Sun to see what he could do. The Sun suddenly shone out with all his warmth. The Traveler no sooner felt his genial rays than he took off one garment after another, and at last, fairly overcome with heat, undressed and bathed in a stream that lay in his path.”

“Persuasion is better than Force.” Or, as another translation has it: “True strength is not bluster.”

I suppose “nudge” economics derives from this fable. You suggest a path for the desired behavior rather than require it.
Part of my career in libraries was during the verboten era: No Noise & No Food or Drink in the Library! Our wrath was mighty and righteous. By confiscating cans, bottles, coffee cups and pizza boxes we were saving books from insect and other dreaded infestations. We were preserving the human record for future generations! Yet, somehow we justified – at least to ourselves – staff pizza parties in offices filled with books. Our well-intentioned efforts were further undermined when we hosted trustee luncheons and donor dinners in the Rare Book Room – visible to every passer by. The double standard – as in much of bluster - was clear: “Do as we say, not as we do.”
No more shushing is vastly OK, but the spreading buffet in study halls and book stacks is hardly ideal.

*Source: AESOP’S FABLES By Aesop Translated by George Fyler Townsend (probably from this edition): “Three hundred and fifty Aesop’s fables”. Chicago, Belford, Clarke & Co., 1886.
Available at the Gutenberg Project.

N.B. ”Leading Change”: A seminar on leading and following change in libraries and other organizations. Sponsored by the University of Latvia. August 25-28. By John Lubans & Sheryl Anspaugh.
At Ratnieki Conference Center, near Sigulda, Latvia. Instruction in English.
Cost: 170 €. Includes tuition, accommodation, meals and transport from Riga.
On August 29th there’s a special reason to be in Latvia: the grand opening of the National Library of Latvia in Riga!

Leading from the Middle Library of the Week: Dakota State University Karl E. Mundt Library Madison, SD. USA.

@Copyright 2014 John Lubans
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