We are like horses who hurt themselves as soon as they pull on their bits -- and we bow our heads. We even lose consciousness of the situation, we just submit. Any re-awakening of thought is then painful.

Summary

In this quote, the speaker compares humans to horses that hurt themselves when they obediently pull on the bits in their mouths. The act of submission is so ingrained that individuals become oblivious to their circumstances and lose consciousness of their own enslavement. Any attempt to free oneself from this state and engage in critical thinking becomes a painful process. The quote alludes to the idea that society often conditions individuals to passively conform, discouraging independent thought and perpetuating a cycle of self-inflicted ignorance.

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