A group of people blindly run toward a promised Elysium, hearing music and laughter in the distance beyond. They have been told "adversity will make them strong" but a sense of revolt rises up in some, who wonder where their hard work will get them. Ambiguous messages of patience come from the mysterious powers that be, who offer empty reassurances. They imagine the people laughing ahead have already labored like they are now, rather than having taken "a less demanding path." They stop cooperating and some of them fall behind, some starve, and some lose limbs. They finally get to "Elysium" and see the powerful people in their society partying. There is no food for them, and they don't understand the source of the music and laughter.