Incarceration

One thinks this time of year of those who will not be spending time with family and friends and exchanging gifts and pleasantries. Whether it be detention, jail, prison, marriage; some will not be able to celebrate the 25^th without permission.

Incarceration is built on order. Wearing the same clothing as everyone else, there is a certain time to eat, a time to sleep, a time for exercise; all under the watchful eyes of another. Any variation comes under the threat of punishment or isolation.

We start by being incarcerated in our bodies. Tall or short or healthy or disabled or thin or fat; our physical wrapping restricts our life from day one.

Our education, experiences, interaction, exposure, morality; expands our thought process or incarcerates our beliefs and rational.

At work our boss incarcerates us. Work is slavery but you have to buy your own home. The hours to be working, the pay, benefits available, promotions, raises, restrictions, punishment (including firing) forces demands of what we drive, what we wear, when we eat, time spent with our family or friends, relationships in an incarceration.

Incarceration isn’t just about putting bad people behind bars, but people who just don’t follow the rules and annoy the masses. The poor, the sick, the mentally ill, etc. are kept away from the rest of us so we can shop and enjoy the holidays.

Cultural consumerism incarcerates us to stress-fully purchase and wrap gifts for strangers, commute to parts unknown, eat and drink too much just to fit in with the holiday expectations. Don’t forget the tree and the lights.

So when sitting down at the seasonal gathering meal passing the mashed potatoes and listening to stories of seasons past sprinkled with political arguments and gross illness descriptions, this is an incarceration with people who have the same last name.