It has the makings of a great story, but it's too involved for a fable yet too short for a story. Some of the "metaphors" are also incredibly ham fisted and nearly none of them have anything to do with the primary peril of the story: the cold.
I do think the analogy of the ship heading north while the passengers are solely concerned with their immediate comfort is brilliant though.
It would have been better if it was just one group who kept demanding more blankets. As the ship got colder, they'd use this to justify the need for more blankets, until it got so cold they froze to death despite being wrapped in so many blankets you could no longer see them. That would be a great fable.
It has the makings of a great story, but it's too involved for a fable yet too short for a story. Some of the "metaphors" are also incredibly ham fisted and nearly none of them have anything to do with the primary peril of the story: the cold.
I do think the analogy of the ship heading north while the passengers are solely concerned with their immediate comfort is brilliant though.
It would have been better if it was just one group who kept demanding more blankets. As the ship got colder, they'd use this to justify the need for more blankets, until it got so cold they froze to death despite being wrapped in so many blankets you could no longer see them. That would be a great fable.
able seaman = NATO
lady passenger = Europe
Mexican sailor = Ukraine
American Indian sailor = Israel
bosun = Canada
animal-lover = Taiwan
college professor = Biden administration
icebergs = China
I like it. Wish I could share it with people but it's Ted Kaczynski.
Just copy the text to a gist or substack and say it's an anonymous Internet poem. "Nobody even knows the author."
Nice. Thanks for the idea.