The Quality Within Slavery; Love And Peace 121.6.9;69;4o14

The Quality Within Slavery

It is February;  which means that within the United States we are reminded of slavery, and we talk about the Civil Rights Movement, and we consider rather arbitrary anecdotes of “…the 1^st black person to…”  I appreciate the study of African history within the Northwest Quad;  and I treasure when people concentrate upon the intrinsic and tangible value of Africans in America and throughout the African Diaspora.  I simply believe this should be done beyond the insufficient reaction to historic and contemporary African slavery and oppression.  Black History Month should be a millennia-long beginning, rather than an annual reminder.

Despite my criticism, there are bright spots in this observance.  There are moments and revelations that inspire 1 to consider Africans and all beings with profound respect, compassion, and even lightweight awe.

Recently, I am provided with a quote from Charles Darwin.  Darwin basically states that it is other than strength or intelligence that determines the success of a living being or species within the process of evolution.  The determining characteristic is Adaptability.

And upon further consideration and context, this thought is rather interesting and uplifting.  Amidst the continual reminders of Black History Month, it occurs to me:  who displays the epitome of adaptability other than “the slave;”  the esoteric and nuanced teaching of the slave is the millennia-old wisdom of adaptability. 

Adaptation is the process of recognising a phenomenon, a circumstance, that exists beyond an individual’s control (essentially beyond 1’s ego), and transforming the nature of that individual’s behaviour, words, and thought to exist within harmony with that phenomenon, circumstance.  Ultimately within this temporal life, we each are slaves to some phenomenon and circumstance:  slaves to gravity, slaves to our selfishness, slaves to the very basic necessities of living, like food and shelter.  The conventional slave is simply subjugated by certain conventional precepts, including the egos of others (which are essentially the slave’s own ego).  Whilst we all experience this ego subjugation, the slave is increasingly stigmatised for this.  Yet, the slave finds a way to continue living;  finds a way to answer the necessities of life;  and even frequently finds a way to marry, have children, and continue traditions for further generations.

The paradigm of the slave exists within many civilisations and periods throughout humanity.  Within the United States, slavery exists as a foundational and intricate factor within American systems and institutions.  This is applicable for African slaves, European slaves, Latino slaves, Asian slaves, Mediterranean slaves, Native slaves, and additionally.  However, given the formalities and entrenchment of African slavery, it seems appropriate to provide this specific phenomenon certain consideration (after all, it is Black History Month).

African slaves experience a multitude of transgressions.  Betrayed, captured, abandoned, and sold by other Africans, African slaves experience an existential disconnect before even leaving the continent.  The initial storage and loading of African slaves may seem rather ordinary to the history observer;  however, once entering the slave ships bound for the Western Hemisphere, the African slave narrative assumes an ominous undercurrent.  It is on those slave ships where Africa ego subjugation meets European efficiency and industriousness.  The African slaves are literally packed like sardines to optimise the ROI (return on investment) for European financiers, slave traders, the ship’s crew, and additionally;  fed to the sharks, indeed. 

Upon entering the land of the American colonies (and later the United States), the institution of African slaves sinks in its teeth, in earnest.  The African slaves are sold exactly like cows and horses.  The African slaves are forced into living within meagre accommodations.  The African slaves are driven into arduous physical labour for long hours.  The African slaves are tortured when practising African culture (such as speaking the language, playing the drum, observing the rituals, and additionally).  The African slaves are indoctrinated to accept an ideology that proclaims the African slaves as less than human.  And the African slaves are deceitfully given the option to receive better treatment by accepting a deity portrayed with a Eurocentric image.  It is amazing to consider the nebulous prospect of African slaves prospering under such unforgiving conditions.

But African slaves do prosper.  And African slaves prosper through adapting. 

African slaves prosper through adapting a formidable Self-Awareness:  a sense for recognising 1’s current circumstances (favourable or unfavourable), recognising 1’s position within those circumstances, recognising the position of others within those circumstances, and recognising the nature of causality amidst these different positions and relationships.  “I stay in my lane, Nigga.”

African slaves prosper through adapting a prominent sense of Community:  building allegiances beyond language, tribes, and customs to recognise the common benefit and common bond that is shared within the collective.  “Hit me up though, Nigga.”

African slaves prosper through adapting a keen penchant for Self-Improvement:  constantly searching for opportunities to accumulate knowledge and wisdom, building schools, establishing social societies, practising spiritual disciplines, and additionally.  “You do you, Nigga.”

African slaves prosper through adapting an immediate tendency for Ego-Quelling:  quickly recognising a power that exists beyond an individual’s own will and searching for a means to be reconciled with this duality.  “Hold me down, Nigga.”

African slaves prosper through adapting a profound sense of Purpose:  recognising that an individual is born from acute and destitute experiences of suffering and that the individual shares a responsibility for improving these experiences of suffering for other individuals.  “Eye on the Prize, Nigga.”

And the list continues.  And it is critical to abstain from shying away from the historic experience of slavery;  to abstain from acquiescing to the stigma and the dismissal of the institution of slavery.  Everyone experiences this.  African slavery is simply 1 of infinite iterations.  And when we delve through the fear and shame and guilt, we can better witness the favourable characteristics of the slave:  the adaptability.  We can better witness the Sentience, the Belonging, the Transcendence, the Humility, and even the Prophethood of the slave.  And because everyone lives in an experience of enslavement, everyone can benefit by recognising the quality of the slave.  Because when an individual recognises the quality of the slave, the individual experiences True Liberation.

This lesson is applicable to all the slaves who exist within the United States today:  the corporate executive;  the university graduate paying back loans;  the immigrant working without leverage;  the political dissident forcefully injected with anti-psychotic drugs;  the mor being abused by her husband;  and additionally.

Darwin provides an appropriate consideration for reconciling this adversity:  Adaptability.  Historically within America, there is a heavy reliance upon the authority of materially affluent European men.  We all need this art of adaptability as the Earth and the United States become increasingly diverse and plural;  a community with authority emanating from many different individuals, from many different cultures, traditions, and languages, with many different dispositions.  We all need the adaptability to learn to follow the customs and wisdom of our many different communities and traditions.  Within the progression of the social evolution of humanity, this adaptability translates into prosperity for our entire community.