but he’s naked

You know the story. The Emperor’s New Clothes. He’s wearing nothing but everyone has been told that if you can’t see the clothes, you’re incompetent and stupid. Damn, Hans Christian Andersen (Danish, of course, bringing it in 1837). Pinker in his latest chat on Armchair Expert talked about the “intimidation to not believe what you see”.

And I just had to stop there.

Intimidation to not believe what you see.

Wow. And also, fuck that. He’s naked. The kid said it and then everyone else felt the freedom to say what they knew to be true too.

Say it, shout it when you see it.