The donkey that represents being motivated by the carrot and stick.

Carrot and Stick: The Vestigial Faculty of Self-Assification

We first used the carrot and stick on donkeys— indeed, the life of an ass is nothing more than being motivated by reward or punishment. However, humans have made themselves to be more asinine than their four-legged counterparts. The donkey is at least free from the carrot and the stick while its master is away. …