Why I Hate "The Rainbow Fish" Story
The Rainbow Fish is a popular children's picture book published in 1992. In it, the titular fish finds himself alone after he refuses to give out his special rainbow scales to the other fishes. He learns from a wise octopus that he must give away his rainbow scales to have friends. He gives out all of them but one. The moral of the story: you will be happier after giving something to others. Now, this story's moral is BOTCHED as hell. The other fish only like rainbow fish because they gave him some of his scales. But if your friends only like you because you give them things, then chances are they aren't very good friends. Also, the analogy of the rainbow fish's scales being like people's possessions falls apart when you realize that the rainbow fish's scales are a part of their body, and cannot grow back. The other fish asking him for his scales, is like if you had beautiful flowing hair, and some stranger walked up to you and asked if they could tear a