In Kierkegaard’s parable, a clown warns a theater audience about a fire backstage. They laugh, thinking it’s part of the show—until it’s too late. His point: we often ignore real danger when it comes from an unexpected source.
Today the metaphor still fits. From climate change to public health and political instability, experts sound alarms while many of us scroll, joke, or wait for someone else to act.
The lesson? Don’t dismiss warnings because of who delivers them. Don’t mistake comfort for safety. By the time the flames are visible, it may already be too late.
