The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but the first recorded use of the phrase “the elephant in the room” was in a 1814 fable by Ivan Krylov(a Russian writer of fables). In the fable, a man goes to a museum and sees an elephant, but he doesn’t notice it because he is too busy looking at all the other small objects on display. https://nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/famous/elephant-in-the-room/

There can be very few conversations, meetings- commercial, international, diplomatic, personal, virtual or in person that have not had Ellie, in various sizes, present. It is a most unfortunate metaphor. Elephants are highly intelligent and social creatures. To use them as an illustration of difficulties and problems that were rather not discussed is somewhat disingenuous to the very regal Elephantidae family.

It is the problem that no one or group, or organisation wants to discuss. Invariably, it is the one thing that needs to be discussed. If not, at sometime , it will stand up and tell everyone ‘I am here’. When that happens the problem will be much magnified because its consequences and potential resolutions have never properly been talked about.

History is quite literally littered with examples.

In the 1950s, the phrase was used to describe the issue of racism in the United States. At the time, racism was a major problem in the country, but it was often ignored or discussed in hushed tones. The phrase “the elephant in the room” was a way of acknowledging the problem without directly addressing it. nosweatshakespeare.com

Europe has been ignoring Immigration for some years . Rather, it has lightly discussed the problem (as seen by its populations) and developed fragmented policies of varying types thinking it would go away somehow, but failed to talk about it seriously and openly . Politically the Elephant has stood up, raised its trunk and trumpeted I’m here , what are you going to about it ?’

Scientists have been aware of issues concerning Climate Change for a not inconsiderable number of years. Surprisingly so were some politicians.

1989 – UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – possessor of a chemistry degree – warns in a speech to the UN that “We are seeing a vast increase in the amount of carbon dioxide reaching the atmosphere… The result is that change in future is likely to be more fundamental and more widespread than anything we have known hitherto.” She calls for a global treaty on climate change. BBC News September 2013

It took the best of the next twenty years for it talked about with any seriousness. The Elephant that I think still exists is that nobody has said if the targets that have been set were met , would it definitively make sufficient difference. Then if they were met and it made little difference, what would be the next step. Personally, I think it is not widely discussed because it would be feared that society would probably say ‘why bother?’

“There’s a phrase, “the elephant in the living room”, which purports to describe what it’s like to live with a drug addict, an alcoholic, an abuser. People outside such relationships will sometimes ask, “How could you let such a business go on for so many years? Didn’t you see the elephant in the living room?” And it’s so hard for anyone living in a more normal situation to understand the answer that comes closest to the truth; “I’m sorry, but it was there when I moved in. I didn’t know it was an elephant; I thought it was part of the furniture.” Stephen King

He goes onto say ‘ the clever ones recognise the difference ‘.

However, there are times when thinking ‘furniture’, as openly accepting that it is actually an elephant can have unintended or even unwanted consequences . Serious consideration of those very consequences need to be assessed before telling others in the ‘room’ that there is a bloody great elephant there.

When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets hurt. — African Proverbs

There a still a lot of buts . Sometimes the Elephant may be standing behind a long curtain and you are not sure if it is a trunk hanging out the bottom of the curtain or a giant Cobra. Or just a lamp stand.

Whistleblowing, in an odd sort of way is often about elephants in the room. Although, a number of individuals can be aware of various issues but cannot/will not reveal them because they are under pressure not to and will face their own consequences unrelated to the issue. It is peer pressure in various poses that stop the elephant being discussed.

In the UK there is a legal framework to protect Whistle blowers within the work place but it is by no means fool proof.

The two main barriers whistleblowers face are a fear of reprisal as a result
of making a disclosure and that no action will be taken if they do make the decision to
‘blow the whistle’ UK Gov 2015

On a more micro level i.e. personal, small business/industries, this actually a very difficult subject to examine as by talking about specifics, you actually have to talk about the Elephant . Doing that exposes problems that people do not want to be made public. This post came about through an associate within our industry said why don’t you post about a certain issue that has always been an Elephant. I responded by suggesting that if I did, someone might put a contract out on me. So I wont.

So here is a really big Elephant….

So here is a conversation between Advanced Economies and China.

So look here Mr China (it’s Mr, as China, as is mainly run by men) we have had enough of your cheap product, made by underpaid and oppressed workers , subsidised loans, poor human rights, and suppression of minorities. We still need very cheap stuff as our cash strapped society needs many more cheap T shirts and clothing. We are going have our stuff made in Vietnam and Cambodia where the labour is cheaper (and then all of the above oppression, rights etc etc and many of the factories are still owned by Chinese). And don’t you start going on about Western Importers having made fortunes for last seventy years bringing in all this stuff. We are definitely not complicit . We needed this stuff and it helped our economies grow especially those of our High Street retailers.

Mr China replies:

Welcome my very good consumer based economy friends. We are very aware of these issues and therefore have taken some steps to help you out. We have set up companies such as Shein, Temu, Alibaba, and Aliexpress so that your hungry consumers can still buy very cheap products direct from our factories without disturbing your very busy importers and retailers. We thank your very generous governments for giving us preferential shipping rates, ignoring counterfeit product and non conforming product standards. We thank the British Royal family who having made the wonderful Mr David Beckham a sustainability ambassador for you ever so Gracious King. We have paid him handsomely to promote our Aliexpress marketplace of selling very cheap product and many times filling airplanes with this wonderful stuff. You might have seen him recently on your Giant TV screens ( which we also make- so everyone wins – well we do anyway).

The more I think about it the more I see loads of bloody Elephants. It is a bit of shame really as Physical Elephants are wonderful creatures . The metaphoric type can rarely be wonderful, it must be being cooped up in all those rooms that make them such troublesome creatures.

There, I have written about the Elephant room . that will please someone , and if they read this they will know who they are .