The Flavor of Kool-Aid

("In Memory of Gary Vaughn", 2018, original encaustic) The Flavor of Kool-Aid We all get to choose the flavor of Kool-Aid we drink. And maybe that’s the extent of free will. We each have our world views formed and cemented By these biases, personal and cultural, But even people as close as siblings Who share the same DNA and conditioning Can end up as different as oil and vinegar But I’ve had my share of Kool-Aid, And I don’t remember it having any flavor Other than sweet. What it offers as a way to entice Is a difference in color, Or put another way A difference in appearance And so it is with beliefs and biases. It’s mostly a difference of surface over substance. What is the substance of Kool-Aid? A little dye, some sweetener, And a whole lot of the universal solvent. And what is the effect of our preferred Kool-Aid? Reassurance that we have chosen The best world view To match our tastes. Which are in fact chosen On the basis of What we want to see, And the promise of something sweet. (9/23/23)