By Kavisha Pillay
Henny Penny, (or Chicken Little in some versions) is a fable about a simple chicken, who after being struck on the head by an acorn, believes that the sky is falling. So off she goes, with friends in hand - Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Goosey Loosey and others, to warn the king about the impending doom. On the way, they meet Foxy Loxy, a conniving, devious little guy, who ends up manipulating the gang, and eating them all. And so, the story ends where the sky did not fall and instead Henny Penny and her friends end up as a lunchtime feast.
This story is a metaphor for misplaced panic and gullibility, a tale of how fear and uncritical thinking can lead to disastrous outcomes. And, as we look around at the politics of our time, it is hard not to see ourselves living through a modern-day version of Henny Penny.
Acorns of misinformation
Today’s acorns take many forms, such as misinformation about immigration, the climate crisis, vaccines, crime, and economic instability. These are not accidental occurrences but deliberate seeds planted by manipulative forces - political demagogues, corporations, and the ever-present algorithms of social media.
These acorns strike individuals and communities, sending them into spirals of fear and frenzy. The panic spreads like wildfire, amplified by echo chambers and partisan media, until entire populations are running toward the nearest “Foxy Loxy”, who offers “salvation”.
The Foxy Loxys of our age are not just individuals. They are systems, institutions, and ideologies. They take the form of authoritarian leaders who promise order in exchange of liberty, conspiracy theorists who offer certainty in a world of complexity, and tech giants who profit from our outrage while claiming to connect us. They exploit our fears to consolidate power, dismantle democratic norms, and stifle dissent. And much like the story of Henny Penny and her friends, the ending is grim: people will be consumed by their own misplaced trust in the Foxy Loxys, and be devoured.
A striking example of this dynamic is the rise of populist authoritarianism, fueled by the tech oligarchs. Leaders like Donald Trump, Narendra Modi, Viktor Orban, Marine Le Pen, and Elon Musk, have mastered the art of acorn dropping. They point to immigrants, climate activists, and political opponents as existential threats, convincing their audiences that the sky is indeed falling. In the process, they erode institutions, weaponise disinformation, and divert attention from real challenges facing their nations - inequality, corruption, climate change. Foxy Loxy doesn’t just eat the flock - he convinces them to march willingly into the den.
Consider the climate crisis. For decades, the science has been clear: the planet is warming, and human activity is to blame. Yet acorns of doubt have been strategically dropped by fossil fuel companies, amplified by politicians, and legitimised by media outlets. These acorns have delayed meaningful action, allowing Foxy Loxys in the energy sector to rake in profits while the world inches closer to catastrophe. The sky may not be falling, but the oceans are rising, the forests are burning, and the clock is ticking.
Immigration, too, has become one of the most exploited acorns in modern politics. Migrants and refugees are often portrayed as harbingers of chaos, criminals, or threats to national identity. This narrative incites fear and division, diverting attention from the systemic issues that drive migration in the first place—war, economic disparity, and climate change. While Foxy Loxys promise walls and crackdowns as solutions, they conveniently ignore the global inequalities and conflicts that their own policies often exacerbate. The result is a cycle of dehumanisation and scapegoating that serves to entrench power while doing nothing to address the root causes of migration.
But perhaps the most insidious aspect of our modern Henny Penny tale is how it shifts our focus away from genuine threats. While we panic over acorns, the real dangers such as systemic inequality, democratic backsliding, and ecological collapse, go unaddressed. The Foxy Loxys are not just predators, they are master distractors, keeping us fixated on imagined crises while they feast on the spoils of our inattention.
A way forward
So, what can we learn from Henny Penny? First, the survival of democracy and truth demands critical thinking. Not every falling acorn signals catastrophe, and not every loud, self-proclaimed savior deserves our trust. Second, our greatest strength lies in collective action. We must reject division and seek solidarity - the forces that manipulate us, thrive when we are fragmented. Finally, the Foxy Loxys of the world dominate the narrative, painting themselves as protectors, whilst demonising those who challenge them. We must continue to expose their deception and demand accountability.
The sky may not be falling, but if we fail to confront these forces head-on, we risk losing the very foundations of truth, justice, and democracy itself.
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