Giraffe Town: A Fable
How values become structures and systems
When I first heard this fable, or a version of it, I wanted to find the source because of how helpfully it illustrates various aspects of structural systems of oppression. I found two articles that told slightly different versions - one from a corporate/workplace perspective and the other from a church viewpoint. Both reference the original source as this book: Building a House for Diversity: A Fable About a Giraffe & an Elephant Offers New Strategies for Today's Workforce (1999) by R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., which I have not read but am certainly interested in. What I did not find is an application of this fable to the field of education. So here’s my spin on it with more to come in analysis and application next week.
There once lived a hard working giraffe in a respected neighborhood of Giraffe Town. While all of the houses in Giraffe Town were expertly built, this particular giraffe was a carpenter whose award-winning house was known for its expert design and craftsmanship. It had tall, lean windows that let in the soft natural light with stunning views. Its lofty ceilings with tall, elegant doorways gave way to sleek, vaulted hallways connecting various areas of the house.
One day, an elephant moved into the neighborhood. Ever the friendly host, the giraffe invited the elephant over for lunch. “Come in, come in, Make yourself at home!” said the giraffe. The elephant barely squeezed in the double-wide doors and bumbled down the narrow entry hallway, crashing into a lamp and denting a wall. Upon reaching the dining area, the elephant fumbled while trying to reach the tall stools surrounding the table. After a struggle, the elephant managed to sit and promptly crushed the lean, delicate chair.
“Oh my,” gasped the giraffe, straining to remain polite. “I know you’re new here. Our town offers some excellent mindfulness courses and a variety of aerobic classes. Perhaps those would be helpful as you adapt to our town.”
The elephant was not convinced. “Perhaps elephants were never intended to belong in houses built for giraffes.”
This fable helps illustrate how our values, conscious and unconscious, can become structures and systems. We build structures and systems to meet the needs of the people involved in the building. This can all feel very “normal” to us. Then, what happens when someone different from us, with different values and different needs, interacts with the systems and structures we’ve created?
More analysis and application of Giraffe Town coming throughout this month!
What stands out to you about this fable?
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