We are going through a replay of an old story.
At he start of the original story, the tailors told the emperor: "We are two very good tailors and after many years of research we have invented an extraordinary method to weave a cloth so light and fine that it looks invisible. As a matter of fact it is invisible to anyone who is too stupid and incompetent to appreciate its quality".
And of course, the chief of guards and the chamberlain and the prime minister and all of the people praised the wonders and the beauty of the new cloth....and since nobody was willing to admit his own stupidity and incompetence, they all behaved as the two scoundrels had predicted“. And all the people cheered as the emperor made his triumphant procession through the town.
A child, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his eyes showed them to him, went up to the carriage. "The Emperor is naked." he said.
And the people were shocked and they realized the boy was right. And everyone cried: "The boy is right! The Emperor is naked! It's true!"And so the story ended.
But today, the story ends a little differently.
The Emperor realized that the people were right but could not admit to that. He thought it better to continue the procession under the illusion that anyone who couldn't see his clothes was either stupid or incompetent. And so he stood stiffly on his carriage, while behind him a page held his imaginary mantle“.
At the end of today's story, the emperor returns to the palace and puts on an ermine robe.
And the people look at themselves and discover that they are the ones who are butt-naked and broke.
Apologies to Hans Christian Anderson