A long way out in the deep blue sea there lived a fish. Not just an ordinary fish, but the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean. His scales were every shade of blue and green and purple, with sparkling silver scales among them.
The other fish were amazed at his beauty. They called him Rainbow Fish. “Come on, Rainbow Fish”, they would call. “Come and play with us!” But the Rainbow Fish would just glide past, proud and silent, letting his scales shimmer.
One day, a little blue fish followed after him. “Rainbow Fish,” he called, “wait for me! Please give me one of your shiny scales. They are so wonderful, and you have so many.”
“You want me to give you one of my special scales? Who do you think you are?” cried the Rainbow Fish. “Get away from me!” Shocked, the little blue fish swam away. He was so upset; he told all his friends what had happened. From then on, no one would have anything to do with the Rainbow Fish. They turned away when he swam by.
What good were the dazzling, shimmering scales with no one to admire them? Now he was the loneliest fish in the entire ocean. One day he poured his troubles to the starfish. “I really am beautiful. Why doesn’t anybody like me?” “I can’t answer that for you,” said the starfish. “But if you go beyond the coral reef to a deep cave you will find the wise octopus. Maybe she can help you.”
The Rainbow Fish found the cave. It was very dark inside and he couldn’t see anything. Then suddenly two eyes caught him in their glare and the octopus emerged from the darkness. “I have been waiting for you,” said the octopus with a deep voice. “The waves told me your story. This is my advice. Those fish who seek your scales envy your beauty and silently despise their own aesthetical impotence. They are weak beings who seek to steal from you by asserting a morally corrupt entitlement to the fruits of your labor. You must bear them no mind and recognize a fish’s right to his or her own property. As the shark does not concern himself with the opinions of the minnows, so shall you wear your scales with pride, for they are the proof of your loyalty to your own values and a badge of your personal excellence.”
“I see …” the Rainbow Fish started to say, but the octopus had already disappeared into a dark cloud of ink. Give away my scales? My beautiful shining scales? Never. If I view myself as a sacrificial animal and live my life solely for others, I shall condemn myself to a depraved existence. If the other fish will only accept me when I give them my scales, then the other fish be damned!
And so the Rainbow Fish swam away to find other fish of similar caliber who were worthy of his company – other fish that he could be proud to call his own.
How are the scales a badge of excellence if the Rainbow Fish did nothing to acquire them in the first place? He was just endowed with nice looking scales. I agree that the other fish did not have a right to shun him for not giving away his scales but “asserting a morally corrupt entitlement to the fruits of your labor” is a stretch.
If living life for others leads to a “depraved existence”, then why is the Rainbow Fish so miserable? He just wants approval from others while simultaneously believing that he’s a superior being.