Our Battle, Not Theirs

 

As long as you continue to play the game set by your oppressor, you will lose. You are not determining the rules or the mode of the fight, and as a result, you are losing. This is exactly the position the oppressors want you in: constantly engaged in something you didn't initiate. Consider that you are always dealing with issues you didn't start. Even when you achieve small victories, the oppressors use these to their advantage in negotiations. They raise the stakes only to bring them down to the level they wanted all along. This tactic is evident in life as well, where oppressors distract us with issues that don't benefit us.

The goal of the oppressors is to keep us engaged in their battles, making even our small wins ultimately losses. The strategy to survive in an oppressive system must be individualized, making escape a necessity rather than an option. The oppressors are fine with a few individuals escaping, as this creates the illusion of progress and achievement. This is why we hear about the first person from an oppressed group achieving something significant—it serves to distract from the systemic issues.

The issues the oppressors have with us are not personal, though they may seem so. The real struggle begins when we unite and engage as a group rather than as individuals. True freedom will only come when everyone is free, not just a few. The war the oppressors want us to fight is about survival, not freedom. The more we focus on survival, the more future generations will have to do the same.

To initiate our own fight, we must think and act as a collective. Only then can any true benefit come from our social efforts. Reflect on this and understand the importance of collective action.