Modern-day slavery is not enforced with whips or chains. Rather it is much more efficient and easy to enslave a man when the enforcer of this slavery lives within his own mind. Each and every one of us is a prisoner to something. Whether or not we realize it, we are enslaved. We are beholden to false notions of who we are, societal pressures to conform, and the fear of stepping out of bounds to embody who we really are. Every time you wish to dance but remain on the sidelines, every time you wish to express love but fear coming off as “too needy,” every day you show up to a job you dislike for the fear of being without it; you are beholden to the taskmaster who lives within your own mind.
It seems to me the Taskmaster can disguise himself pretty well in a number of different alluring shapes, it can be a subtle enticement, tricky, sticky. But it's clear enough when the walls suddenly block the sunlight from coming into the soul.
I especially feel stirred at the closing lines. It's not "When one finds the courage to defy the warnings of the inner taskmaster, everything will work out just fine." It's turning from watermelon into soil, and then into god knows what. It's scary in ways that speak to me now.
The Taskmaster! Yes.
It seems to me the Taskmaster can disguise himself pretty well in a number of different alluring shapes, it can be a subtle enticement, tricky, sticky. But it's clear enough when the walls suddenly block the sunlight from coming into the soul.
I especially feel stirred at the closing lines. It's not "When one finds the courage to defy the warnings of the inner taskmaster, everything will work out just fine." It's turning from watermelon into soil, and then into god knows what. It's scary in ways that speak to me now.
Thank you, Kenny! Yeah, it's more like: death is inevitable, but it's a beautiful death! I'm glad you feel stirred!