emperor's new clothes

The phrase "emperor's new clothes" refers to a situation where people pretend to see or believe something, even though it is actually non-existent or blatantly obvious that it is false. The phrase originates from a fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, in which swindlers make an emperor an outfit that is supposedly made of a fabric that is invisible to those who are unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent. The emperor and his courtiers, not wanting to admit their incompetence, pretend to see the clothes until a child points out the truth, exposing the emperor's foolishness. Thus, the phrase is often used to highlight collective denial, hypocrisy, or a willingness to go along with a popular misconception.