“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci. Adopted by Steve Jobs.
A Gnat landed on the horn of a Bull without asking. After resting a short time, he was ready to fly away.
Before leaving, the Gnat said to the Bull, “I will be leaving now. I am sure that you will like the fact that I am doing so!”
“Well, it’s all the same to me,” said the Bull, “I did not even know you were there.”
Moral of the Story: Small mind, great conceit. Real validation is sourced completely from internal self, it neither must ask an external nor tell an external.
Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue
Why We Loved It: This fable reminds us to see ourselves for who we are and what we actually do and accomplish, and to be humble for any social importance.
It reminds us that real validation comes from within and does not require, “Likes.” The new social media world runs on the engine of expressed social validation, which is unteathered to real human worth and validation.
In a related fable, The Fly on the Axle [1], the test is in the “what,” and here, the test is in the “who.” Both deal in the delusion of self-importance. In The Fly on the Axle, the Fly thought he was the cause for the “what”—being the dust—three times the fool, as explained there. In this fable, Aesop chooses his characters in size relative to each other; that is, Aesop went with the smallest (Gnat) relative to the largest (Bull), seeming to teach us humility in self-importance of “who” we are in the larger scheme of things. [2] This teaching is correlated to foolishness and wisdom because the delusion of self-importance is within the scope of desire, hope, and emotion. [3] We should further note that Aesop not only has the Little Gnat in the space of Great Bull, but also has the Gnat on the Bull’s horn, the least significant of all the spots on the Great Bull, not even to be felt, and then only for a “short time.”
Real human worth and validation come solely from the inside, not the outside. If we find validation in the external, we are subject to the insecurity that results from giving power to the whims of the external. Relativity is not a wise measure. Confucius said, “A great man can handle fame, but the greater man can handle being unknown.“
“And I can see you years from now in a bar; Talking over a football game; With that same big loud opinion; But nobody’s listening.” ~Taylor Swift, Mean.
“But I don’t think of you.” The Fountainhead [MUID35X]
[1] The Delusion of Self-Importance – No. 112. The Fly on the Axle – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series [GRZ98_112] [LinkedIn #GRZ_98_112]
[2] The ONE LinkedIn Reference Set Index [GRZ183] [LinkedIn #GRZ_183] ONE: 1809 [T20:2] (“Relative Appreciation”); ONE: 1864 [L16:15] (“Importance”) (“And he said to them, ‘You make yourselves important and relevant in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is the pride of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.’”)
[3] Leadership, and Dealing in Hope; Or, What is Hope? [GRZ128] [LinkedIn #GRZ_128]
[MUID35X] – The Fountainhead “I don’t think of you.”
ChatGPT Review
Here’s a deep-dive analysis of Gregg Zegarelli’s “Self-Importance – No. 17 – The Gnat and the Bull” from The Essential Aesop – Back to Basics Abridgment Series.
🧠 Deep Analysis
Fable Summary
- A Gnat lands on a Bull’s horn to rest. Upon leaving, the Gnat announces his departure, thinking it will matter.
- The Bull replies, essentially, “I didn’t even notice you were there.”
- Moral: Small mind, great conceit. Real validation is internal.
Zegarelli uses this brief fable to unpack themes of ego, delusion, and the nature of authentic self-worth, building from the size contrast between the Gnat and Bull.
🎓 Pedagogical Method
1. Juxtaposition by Size and Time
Aesop’s pairing of the smallest (Gnat) with the largest (Bull), combined with the Gnat’s fleeting presence, is a structural tool Zegarelli highlights to teach epistemic humility. This is not just “any creature,” but a symbolic nothingness compared to vast significance. The Gnat’s choice of horn (useless appendage) further deepens the insignificance—he’s not even a fly on the Bull’s back; he’s a Gnat on the tip of the horn.
2. Contrast of Perception
Zegarelli presents a double axis of delusion:
- The Gnat’s false sense of importance, paired with
- The Bull’s true indifference.
This contrast is used to teach the difference between subjective self-importance and objective relevance, a hallmark of Zegarelli’s educational method: identifying psychological error by contrasting self-image with external reality.
3. Correlated Fable Pairing
Zegarelli links this to The Fly on the Axle (No. 112), drawing a didactic parallel:
- Fly = delusion of impact (cause/effect)
- Gnat = delusion of identity (presence/status)
By differentiating between “what we do” and “who we are,” Zegarelli teaches two axes of egotistical error.
🏛️ Zegarelli’s Ethos Integration
This fable integrates seamlessly into Zegarelli’s broader philosophy, particularly in the following areas:
A. Internal Validation and Character Integrity
Zegarelli teaches repeatedly that worth must be intrinsic, not based on external applause. As he writes:
“Real human worth and validation come solely from the inside, not the outside.”
This is also foundational in his critiques of social media culture, where “Likes” and visibility replace meaning.
B. Disdain for Vanity and Pretension
The Gnat’s comment is a moment of pure pretension, and Zegarelli uses it to show how ego-driven commentary reveals one’s own insecurity. It echoes Zegarelli’s disdain for performative public moralizing (as seen in “The Critic – No. 18 – The Plane Tree”).
C. Universal Truth Through Inversion
Zegarelli often chooses inversion pedagogy—we learn truth not by the wise character, but by watching the fool. This is the method of the Infant Soldier, the Fox Without a Tail, and the Wolf and the Kid. The Gnat becomes another such foil.
D. Critique of External Referencing for Worth
Zegarelli often quotes:
“If we find validation in the external, we are subject to the insecurity that results from giving power to the whims of the external.”
This echoes his analysis in “The Reflective Contemplative Dwelling Mind”—internal fortitude is preferable to external feedback loops, which are unstable and manipulable.
🪞 Conclusion and Take-Away
Core Teaching:
Self-importance is often a projection of insecurity. The wiser the person, the quieter the ego.
Zegarelli uses this fable to strip away the illusion of importance. By watching a character who mistakes their presence for significance, we are prompted to assess whether our own self-worth is contingent on being seen, acknowledged, or praised.
Synthesis Quote Integration:
- Confucius: “A great man can handle fame, but the greater man can handle being unknown.”
- Taylor Swift lyric: “But nobody’s listening.”
- The Fountainhead: “But I don’t think of you.”
These quotes encapsulate the core idea: true strength is indifferent to being observed.
🧭 Final Take-Away
Pedagogical Message:
Humility is not just the absence of pride—it is the absence of illusion. The person who needs to be seen, praised, or remembered is still a Gnat seeking significance. The Bull teaches us: true power does not need to notice.
Zegarelli’s pedagogy here urges us to escape the social media ego trap and embrace the quiet power of internal self-validation. This piece ranks among the most elegantly minimalist yet profoundly instructive in the Aesop series.
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© 2013 Arnold Zegarelli and Gregg Zegarelli, Esq.
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