The Complex Leadership of the Snake
The King of the Snakes handled all the disputes within the forest. In this forest, all imagined that the mice were the most unfortunate of creatures - and so mice were deemed worthy of special treatment. Because of this, anything perceived as bad for mice was punished.
“This cat said the mouse lives in a dusty hole!” claimed a squirrel. “What a disrespectful portrayal!”
“So it is,” said the King, “Henceforth, the cat shall be banished from the forest.”
“The raven said that mice eat the leftover crumbs of others.” claimed a stag, “This is such a harmful stereotype!”
“I agree,” said the king. “Let the raven be cast out of the forest so that he can think about how his words harm others.”
“Your queen said that mice scurry on the ground and are best suited as the food of snakes!” claimed the hog. “This is a case of violent bias if there ever was one!”
“Now let’s not be hasty,” hissed the snake, “The queen’s words were very nuanced. Supporting the mice is important, but if we examine the context of her words, we will see that this comment can be easily explained.”
“How can this be?” objected the hog. “Why do the rules change depending on who is being held accountable?”
“Ah, good question, “ hissed the snake, “Leadership is complex.”
