“The Emperor’s New Clothes” is a classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
It tells the story of an emperor who two cunning weavers deceive. They promise him a magnificent suit of clothes, made from fabric that is invisible to those who are unfit for their positions or are hopelessly stupid. The emperor cannot see the fabric but, not wanting to appear foolish, pretends to see it. The emperor’s entire court and kingdom follow his lead, not wanting to look stupid they also pretend to see the magnificent fabric. The Emperor sends his advisors to check on the weavers progress, because he is embarrassed that he does not see it and struggles with self doubt. The advisors are sent, and do not want to look foolish, so they also pretend to see the fabric and describe it’s beauty to the Emperor in their report. This further entrenches the delusion that everyone feels – they each feel that everyone else can see the fabric and thus play along so as not to look unfit. The nonexistent fabric is made into exquisite clothing and once they are finally completed, the emperor dons them for a public procession. The crowds come to see the clothes that they have heard so much about, the ones that stupid people cannot see. As every individual realizes that they can’t see the fabric, they choose, rather than to appear stupid, to confirm to expectations and admire the naked emperor’s new clothing. Everyone follows suit until a child, innocent and unafraid or unaware of social pressures, points out that the emperor is not wearing anything and everyone finally admits that they were pretending. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of conformity and the consequences of blindly following authority.
In case you are unfamiliar here it is:
Many years ago there was an Emperor so exceedingly fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on being well dressed. He cared nothing about reviewing his soldiers, going to the theatre, or going for a ride in his carriage, except to show off his new clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day, and instead of saying, as one might, about any other ruler, “The King’s in council,” here they always said. “The Emperor’s in his dressing room.”
In the great city where he lived, life was always gay. Every day many strangers came to town, and among them one day came two swindlers. They let it be known they were weavers, and they said they could weave the most magnificent fabrics imaginable. Not only were their colors and patterns uncommonly fine, but clothes made of this cloth had a wonderful way of becoming invisible to anyone who was unfit for his office, or who was unusually stupid.
“Those would be just the clothes for me,” thought the Emperor. “If I wore them I would be able to discover which men in my empire are unfit for their posts. And I could tell the wise men from the fools. Yes, I certainly must get some of the stuff woven for me right away.” He paid the two swindlers a large sum of money to start work at once.
They set up two looms and pretended to weave, though there was nothing on the looms. All the finest silk and the purest old thread which they demanded went into their traveling bags, while they worked the empty looms far into the night.
“I’d like to know how those weavers are getting on with the cloth,” the Emperor thought, but he felt slightly uncomfortable when he remembered that those who were unfit for their position would not be able to see the fabric. It couldn’t have been that he doubted himself, yet he thought he’d rather send someone else to see how things were going. The whole town knew about the cloth’s peculiar power, and all were impatient to find out how stupid their neighbors were.
“I’ll send my honest old minister to the weavers,” the Emperor decided. “He’ll be the best one to tell me how the material looks, for he’s a sensible man and no one does his duty better.”
So the honest old minister went to the room where the two swindlers sat working away at their empty looms.
“Heaven help me,” he thought as his eyes flew wide open, “I can’t see anything at all”. But he did not say so.
Both the swindlers begged him to be so kind as to come near to approve the excellent pattern, the beautiful colors. They pointed to the empty looms, and the poor old minister stared as hard as he dared. He couldn’t see anything, because there was nothing to see. “Heaven have mercy,” he thought. “Can it be that I’m a fool? I’d have never guessed it, and not a soul must know. Am I unfit to be the minister? It would never do to let on that I can’t see the cloth.”
“Don’t hesitate to tell us what you think of it,” said one of the weavers.
“Oh, it’s beautiful -it’s enchanting.” The old minister peered through his spectacles. “Such a pattern, what colors!” I’ll be sure to tell the Emperor how delighted I am with it.”
“We’re pleased to hear that,” the swindlers said. They proceeded to name all the colors and to explain the intricate pattern. The old minister paid the closest attention, so that he could tell it all to the Emperor. And so he did.
The swindlers at once asked for more money, more silk and gold thread, to get on with the weaving. But it all went into their pockets. Not a thread went into the looms, though they worked at their weaving as hard as ever.
The Emperor presently sent another trustworthy official to see how the work progressed and how soon it would be ready. The same thing happened to him that had happened to the minister. He looked and he looked, but as there was nothing to see in the looms he couldn’t see anything.
“Isn’t it a beautiful piece of goods?” the swindlers asked him, as they displayed and described their imaginary pattern.
“I know I’m not stupid,” the man thought, “so it must be that I’m unworthy of my good office. That’s strange. I mustn’t let anyone find it out, though.” So he praised the material he did not see. He declared he was delighted with the beautiful colors and the exquisite pattern. To the Emperor he said, “It held me spellbound.”
All the town was talking of this splendid cloth, and the Emperor wanted to see it for himself while it was still in the looms. Attended by a band of chosen men, among whom were his two old trusted officials-the ones who had been to the weavers-he set out to see the two swindlers. He found them weaving with might and main, but without a thread in their looms.
“Magnificent,” said the two officials already duped. “Just look, Your Majesty, what colors! What a design!” They pointed to the empty looms, each supposing that the others could see the stuff.
“What’s this?” thought the Emperor. “I can’t see anything. This is terrible!
Am I a fool? Am I unfit to be the Emperor? What a thing to happen to me of all people! – Oh! It’s very pretty,” he said. “It has my highest approval.” And he nodded approbation at the empty loom. Nothing could make him say that he couldn’t see anything.
His whole retinue stared and stared. One saw no more than another, but they all joined the Emperor in exclaiming, “Oh! It’s very pretty,” and they advised him to wear clothes made of this wonderful cloth especially for the great procession he was soon to lead. “Magnificent! Excellent! Unsurpassed!” were bandied from mouth to mouth, and everyone did his best to seem well pleased. The Emperor gave each of the swindlers a cross to wear in his buttonhole, and the title of “Sir Weaver.”
Before the procession the swindlers sat up all night and burned more than six candles, to show how busy they were finishing the Emperor’s new clothes. They pretended to take the cloth off the loom. They made cuts in the air with huge scissors. And at last they said, “Now the Emperor’s new clothes are ready for him.”
Then the Emperor himself came with his noblest noblemen, and the swindlers each raised an arm as if they were holding something. They said, “These are the trousers, here’s the coat, and this is the mantle,” naming each garment. “All of them are as light as a spider web. One would almost think he had nothing on, but that’s what makes them so fine.”
“Exactly,” all the noblemen agreed, though they could see nothing, for there was nothing to see.
“If Your Imperial Majesty will condescend to take your clothes off,” said the swindlers, “we will help you on with your new ones here in front of the long mirror.”
The Emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put his new clothes on him, one garment after another. They took him around the waist and seemed to be fastening something – that was his train-as the Emperor turned round and round before the looking glass.
“How well Your Majesty’s new clothes look. Aren’t they becoming!” He heard on all sides, “That pattern, so perfect! Those colors, so suitable! It is a magnificent outfit.”
Then the minister of public processions announced: “Your Majesty’s canopy is waiting outside.”
“Well, I’m supposed to be ready,” the Emperor said, and turned again for one last look in the mirror. “It is a remarkable fit, isn’t it?” He seemed to regard his costume with the greatest interest.
The noblemen who were to carry his train stooped low and reached for the floor as if they were picking up his mantle. Then they pretended to lift and hold it high. They didn’t dare admit they had nothing to hold.
So off went the Emperor in procession under his splendid canopy. Everyone in the streets and the windows said, “Oh, how fine are the Emperor’s new clothes! Don’t they fit him to perfection? And see his long train!” Nobody would confess that he couldn’t see anything, for that would prove him either unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success.
“But he hasn’t got anything on,” a little child said.
“Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?” said its father. And one person whispered to another what the child had said, “He hasn’t anything on. A child says he hasn’t anything on.”
“But he hasn’t got anything on!” the whole town cried out at last.
The Emperor shivered, for he suspected they were right. But he thought, “This procession has got to go on.” So he walked more proudly than ever, as his noblemen held high the train that wasn’t there at all.
The Emperor’s New Clothes, A Translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “Keiserens Nye Klæder” by Jean Hersholt
https://andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html
The Emperor’s New Clothes and Mormonism
Truisms the story teaches:
- The desire for approval can blind one to the truth.
- In the absence of truth, fear and ignorance thrive.
- When lies become fashion, honesty becomes the rebellion.
- It takes only one brave soul to expose the falsehoods of many.
- Deception crumbles in the presence of truth.
- Those who seek to deceive others often deceive themselves the most.
- The fear of being exposed can drive one to desperate measures.
- Truth is the most powerful weapon against tyranny.
- The truth may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for growth.
- When the illusion is shattered, all that remains is reality.
- Only a fool would sacrifice their integrity for the sake of appearances.
- The Emperor’s clothes were not invisible; they were simply nonexistent.
- The Emperor’s newfound humility was worth more than the most extravagant garments.
Many of these truisms are felt deeply by exmormons, who have spoken like the child who said “But, he hasn’t got anything on”, and similarly proclaimed the obvious “the church is not true.” Everyone around them speaks empty testimonies and evidence of prophecy, but they must state what they see, and slowly others around whisper the same. This is why the chruch leaders do not want members discussing their doubts with others. Doubt, like intelligence and honesty, is contagious.
Church leaders work to demonize doubt and scare members from questioning what they think. Leaders do not want critical thinking, or research, they only want obedience from members and for members to submit to their authority.
Collective Delusion
The story highlights collective delusion, where people pretend to see something that isn’t there. Similarly, in some high-demand religious cultures, such as Mormonism, there’s an expectation for individuals to profess a personal testimony or witness of truth. This can lead to a phenomenon where people feel pressured to conform and express beliefs they may not genuinely hold. This creates a collective facade of certainty within the community. In both cases, social conformity plays a significant role, and the fear of being perceived as lacking faith or understanding can contribute to a shared illusion.
The story emphasizes the significance of critical thinking and questioning authority. In the narrative, it is only a young child who speaks the truth, unaffected by societal expectations and outside pressures. This teaches readers the importance of thinking independently and objectively, rather than blindly following the crowd.
Clothes and Testimonies
In the context of the church, a member sharing their testimony might be likened to the clothing in The Emperor’s New Clothes. There can be a societal expectation within the community that everyone should express a strong testimony of their beliefs. There is pressure to have a testimony and to share it, and being exposed for not having a testimony is like admitting one is “unfit for his office, or who was unusually stupid”. Similar to the emperor pretending to see non-existent clothes, individuals may feel pressure to profess a deep and unwavering conviction in the church’s teachings, even if they harbor doubts or uncertainties. This is actually a teaching of the church leadership. They want members to gain their testimony in bearing a testimony and pretend they have a testimony (or even live like they do) to find one. The fear of social consequences or being perceived as lacking faith can contribute to a collective illusion of unity, resembling the deceptive display in Andersen’s tale. However, like the child in the story, some individuals may eventually find the courage to express their genuine thoughts and question the collective narrative.
Social scientist Jens Ulrik Hansen’s summary of the pluralistic ignorance manifest in the story is perfect: “no one believes, but everyone believes that everyone else believes. Or alternatively, everyone is ignorant to whether the emperor has clothes on or not, but believes that everyone else is not ignorant.” This is a phenomenon I observed so frequently in Mormon culture I’m tempted to call it the ‘hallmark social failure of Mormonism’.
‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ is the perfect allegory for Mormon culture, by cjc
https://deathbyanalogy.home.blog/2019/06/23/the-emperors-new-clothes-is-the-perfect-allegory-for-mormon-culture/
Did you find that the Emperor has no clothes? Did you speak up for did you think you must be the problem? Did you worry that speaking up would be admitting that you were not fit, or that you were stupid? Take courage and remember, “The Emperor has no clothes!”
Consider sharing the story of your own deconversion and deconstructing your Mormon beliefs. What was it like to experience a mormon faith crisis? Tell your story at wasmormon.org.
More reading:
- Illusory Truth Effect
- Gain a Testimony By Pretending To Have One
- I Know The Church Is True
- The Scary Dangers of Mormon Doubt
- Doubt is Not the Opposite of Faith; Certainty Is
- Dealing with Doubts and Controversial Opinions
- https://deathbyanalogy.home.blog/2019/06/23/the-emperors-new-clothes-is-the-perfect-allegory-for-mormon-culture/
- https://www.exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,301194,301198
- https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/x93rtt/i_have_heard_religion_being_compared_to_the/
- http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Clothes