But some of us endure the pain of the whip. Some of us run, not because the whip is ever cracking behind us, but because in running we can become better, faster people. Even if the whip were gone and the master removed, the troubles of that master would fall upon us. Only by strengthening ourselves can we rise up to defeat the oppressive master, and be ready for the challenges beyond. And there will always be challenges.
There will always be pain - so much pain, whether it is the current master or another, or even the world.
To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in that suffering.
We cannot break the bars by rattling them endlessly until the jail keeper intervenes and adds a second lock. We can only do exercises quietly through the night, suffering by our own hand beyond what the cell places on us, until the day we can pry the bars open.
And when that day comes - and when we fight the jail keeper -
When we are defeated
We must struggle against the new cell, the new keeper, with less food, until the day we can revolt yet again. And we must find meaning in that revolt - the meaning of making ourselves better.
Victory is the ultimate cure - but it must be administered judiciously. It is an addictive salve - victory makes the victor stupid. Victory makes the vanquished malicious. But in becoming stronger, someday we can seek to become stronger than the jailer, to place the jailers in the dungeon and set the innocent inmates free. To turn the whip on our oppressors.
The Christian would then say to "love thy enemy"
We are disgusted by the idea, and think, "but strength is to conquer." But we have already conquered. Think! Think of what it is! Your oppressor is now firmly beneath you, but in the same place as you were before. Should we make them malicious, make them resent us -
Make them revolt?
Or show compassion to those who can accept it and become indebted to us?
But for those who can never learn - let them be justly destroyed by your wrath.
This is how we should seek out power. Not by mindlessly rattling the bars, no... But not by sitting quietly by either. We must quietly, gently become stronger, by embracing the suffering - channeling it - then nature will switch the stronger will for the weaker, as ice inverts in a freezing pond.
