Safety & Freedom

Shamelessly stolen from Peter Block. In a small group discussion everyone expressed the fear that if they went independent they wouldn’t be able to provide for themselves. One participant was the sole breadwinner for their entire extended family. I realized that I’ve got it good—I’d only be letting myself down. Peter responded with the following image.

You walk into a hall. There are 2 desks at the other end. You can’t read the sign on one of them, but the other one says, “Safety”. It looks like a thousand people await the Safety desk, lines snaking & looping. You get in that line.

The line moves quickly, the sound of two thousand shuffling feet echoing from the rafters high above. Still, a thousand is a lot of people. Your feet are tired by the time you near the desk.

You see that when people reach the desk they have a short conversation, their shoulders slump, but then they take the token they are offered. That’s what you notice. That shoulder slump. Heads drop down. What’s going on?

You reach the desk. “Are you here for Safety?”

“Yes, please.”

“That will be a piece of your soul.”

What? A piece of my soul? No way. I only have the one soul & I can’t spare any pieces. No wonder all those shoulders slumped. But everyone took the token. Should I take it too?

You glance at the other desk. The sign on it, you now see, reads, “Freedom”. But there’s no line. Nobody at all.

But I spent two hours waiting in that line. But my soul. But safety.

Not worth it. Let’s see what the other deal is.

You turn & walk to the Freedom desk. “Are you here for Freedom?”

“Yes, please. What’s this going to cost? And don’t tell me a piece of my soul.”

“No, no, nothing like that.”

“Well, what then.”

“Anxiety.”

“Is that all? I’m already anxious. Lemme have that token.”

Away you walk, a little shaky but head up, shoulders back, that token unexpectedly heavy in your hand.