Court Jesters: An Endangered Species

Court jesters invite people to reflect and protect the organization from hubris and inertia. But is that necessary in a crisis? Is this art or can it go away?

Originally, court jesters were not entertainers or comedians, but rather a social institution of permissible criticism. Due to their “fool’s freedom”, they were outside the hierarchy and were exempt from the strict social norms at court. They were therefore able and allowed to criticize those in power in a subtle and witty manner and to encourage reflection and rethinking. They were the personified memento mori and supposed to protect against exuberance and complacency.

What we need are a few crazy people, look at what we have reached with the normal ones.

George Bernard Shaw

Exactly that still has a value in modern times that goes far beyond good entertainment. Especially in times of change organizations need this intelligent provocation and irritation. Court jesters or corporate rebels invite to reflect, rethink and think differently and protect the organization from hubris and inertia.