For whatever reason I'm feeling a bit cynical tonight. No particular rhyme nor reason for it, I was just looking through my stickers and this one felt right. I'm sure for a lot of you the same thought pops up after seeing this sticker, little brother from the opening of Mulan. I know I can't help but think of that adorable little thing running around, doing Mulan's chores while he's chasing after the bone. At the same point though I'm also reminded of the futility of these "dangling carrots." There are two related idioms out there that this image brings to mind, "offer someone a carrot" and "carrot and stick." To "offer someone a carrot" means that you are looking to persuade someone to do something with the promise of a reward while the "carrot and stick" pertains to a reward and punishment system to get results. Ultimately both of these phrases come from the same overall image, a driver attempting to encourage a donkey forward through the use of a carrot in front and a whip in the back. This sticker may not have the implied punishment of a stick within it but there is something slightly sadder about this promised carrot or bone. The dog is given the promise of a bone if he continues forward, a goal that always remains in sight. So he runs along, chasing the object of his desires because it seems within his grasp. But no matter how hard he tries it'll always remain elusive, even if he changes his method from time to time. He is forever trapped within that promise that things will get better for him. Sure he may get lucky and outsmart the system or someone may take pity on him and just give him the bone, it just doesn't seem likely. I have to admit that I've had plenty of moments that felt like this. There is always that hope that the next step will bring meaning to the work I've done, that something will actually come from the decisions I've made. That my promised bone isn't just a futile daily exercise. Although I've definitely had to wonder if the things I've been chasing are things I want or if I was just after it because it was dangled out there in front of me. Maybe this sticker isn't as bleak as I seem to think it is but it's definitely one that makes you wonder about what you're chasing in your life.
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Maggie Ondrey
An amateur photographer and writer capturing a small portion of the city. Archives
August 2017
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