History on Hiring Practices

Once upon a time, there was a king who decided to go fishing. Before setting off, he called the royal weather forecaster and asked for the weather prediction for the next few hours. The forecaster confidently assured the king that there was no chance of rain in the coming days.

Trusting the weatherman’s expertise, the king and his wife, the queen, set out for their fishing trip. On their way, they encountered a farmer riding a donkey. The farmer, noticing the royal couple, respectfully warned, “Your Majesty, you should head back to the palace immediately. I predict that a heavy downpour is about to fall in this area.“

The king, though polite, dismissed the farmer’s warning with a smile. “I hold my palace meteorologist in high regard,” he said. “He is highly educated and experienced, and I pay him handsomely for his services. He assured me that there would be no rain, so I trust his forecast and will continue on my way.“

Ignoring the farmer’s advice, the king and queen continued on their journey. But soon, the skies opened up, and a torrential rain began to pour. The king and queen were drenched, and their entourage couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of them, soaked and humiliated.

Furious, the king returned to the palace and immediately fired the royal meteorologist. He then summoned the farmer and offered him the prestigious and well-paying position of royal forecaster.

The farmer, surprised, replied, “Your Majesty, I don’t know anything about weather forecasting. I simply observe my donkey. When his ears droop, it’s a sure sign that rain is on the way.“

Amused by the farmer’s simplicity, the king decided to hire the donkey instead.

And so began the practice of appointing “dumb asses” to hold important positions in the government—an unfortunate tradition that, it seems, continues to this day. It has become so prominent, that we are electing political leaders through the same standards.