daniel

- You are in a cult. You are not allowed to read books not approved by the cult.

- You read the books anyways. Someone finds out about it. They always fucking find out. They have spies who want to suck up to the cult everywhere.

- This is normal because the cult promises to go easier on anyone who adheres more fervently to the cult. Some people will even get rewarded by the cult. They get extra treats and *sometimes,* they even get really cool toys that normally aren't allowed in the cult.

- You are beaten and threatened. You have probably already been starved and beaten for other infractions.

- You've finally managed to read 1984 and have decided that this is how it works. When you finally repent, when you finally break under torment and apologise, and you say you'll be compliant, they will likely kill you or worse. Once a contaminant, always a contaminant.

- You do not stop reading. They beat you again and again.

- Those Other Kids figure out that you're reading. Some think you're pretty cool, going against the grownups. A few might actually want to swing with you on the playground. Not everyone likes you. Most don't because they don't wanna get in trouble, or they think you're doing something bad. ALL the grown-ups say you're Bad, so you are.

- The grown-ups now parade you in front of the class and demand to know about your reading. You claim that reading is good, actually. They shout you down and humiliate you.

- It isn't about making you feel bad. It's about public humiliation. And more importantly: any other kids who KNOW you're right will see that you have no power. Your efforts to read and to get others to read are pointless. They bring only suffering. You are right, and you are brave, and all of that means nothing.

- Now the kids who wanted to play with you aren't so sure. They don't dislike you or anything. They're just going to get in a lot of trouble for even being seen with you. Some can handle the questioning and the parents warning them about bad influences, but some of them aren't very well-off themselves, and they can't handle any more.

- The kids who DO dislike you though... they've now seen that the grown-ups hurt you, and it's okay. It's okay to really make you cry. It's okay to hit you and take your toys and break stuff you like. The grown-ups did it, and THEY'RE in charge of EVERYTHING.

- Those kids want to be loved. All kids do. They want to feel proud of themselves for Doing the Right Thing. And the grown-ups will be proud of them, too.

- They turn on you publicly, increasingly violently.

- The kids who wanted to play with you? Maybe one stands up to defend you. Maybe. And that kid gets hit pretty badly. Maybe they aren't even allowed to have dinner for a whole week.

- Maybe some are "with you in spirit," whatever the fuck THAT means. Useless. Thoughts and prayers!

- But ultimately, the point is not to hurt you. The point is to get others to hurt you. To show you, through others, that you are nothing and your fight for literacy means nothing.

This is a post about Russia.