It is the classic story told over and over: a good
hearted, unusually good looking convict looks to outsmart the prison system and
escape to freedom.
Frank Morris did it in "Escape from Alcatraz" and Andy Dufresne did it in "Shawshank Redemption".
So why can’t us Takers escape our own prison? Ishmael
will tell you why: we don’t want to.
In Ishmael, the novel’s namesake explains to
the narrator that "The world of Takers is one vast prison, and except for
a handful of Leavers scattered across the world, the entire human race is now
inside that prison,” (Quinn 251). Takers are self-centered; focusing on their
own success, not the status of the human species.
Takers are completely absorbed in the power and
wealth distribution in their society, a commonly seen in real penitentiaries.
Even while in the most dire conditions, most inmates only care about which gang
is on top, how much money they have for commissary and what newbies that can
turn into their pets. Not many take the time to reflect on their bad decisions,
plan for their futures or try to save children on the outside from living the
same lives as themselves. In the prison system, inmates are forced to be
self-focused, or else they will pay the price.
This is not to say that people in the prison system
are especially narcissistic. This is a trait engrained in the Takers since the
beginning of civilization. Ishmael explained that “you're captives of a civilization
system that more or less compels you to go on destroying the world in order to
live,” (25). Takers are raised with a pressure to focus on themselves. Takers
make every decision, whether it is killing other species or harming the environment
because they believe this is the only way for them to survive. A viscous cycle
like this is hard to escape.
According
to Ishmael, “It should be noted that what is crucial to your survival
as a race is not the redistribution of power and wealth within the prison but
rather the destruction of the prison itself,” (252). Takers need to focus their energy on
erasing the culture of consumerism and domination rather than competing against
each other for power.
While this
seems almost impossible in this day and age, I do believe there is hope for
Takers.
This reminds
me of one of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies, "Shawshank Redemption". In the final scenes (watch from 0:42-1:16) Red, says “I
find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I
think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of
a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the
border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as
blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”
Red is like the Takers. He waited a long time for
his prison release, only imagining what freedom felt like beyond those bars. I
feel that in the near future, Takers can also be like Red, making their way to
ocean of vast opportunity and beauty. It will take patience, passion and a
well-planned escape route.
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| You can't help but get emotional when Red gets to the ocean. This could be the Takers if we really want. |
