Cervantes was a galley slave on a Muslim ship, he knew something about human nature.
"Life, as it is."
I have lived for over 40 years and I've seen "life, as it is": pain, misery, cruelty.
I've heard all of the voices of God's noblest creature: moans from bundles of filth in the streets.
I've been a soldier and a slave.
I've seen my comrades fall in battle or die more slowly under the lash in Africa.
I've held them in their last moments; these were men who saw "life, as it is".
But they died despairing. No glory. No bray of last words. Only their eyes filled with confusion, questioning "Why?"
I do not think they were asking why they were dying, but why they had ever been born.
Life itself seems lunatic. Who knows where madness lies?
Perhaps to be too practical is madness.
To surrender dreams, this may be madness;
To seek treasure where there is only trash.
Too much sanity may be madness.
But maddest of all, to see "life, as it is" and not as it should be!
(Courtesy of "Man of La Mancha")
I think people’s perception of history would be better if it was known how many famous white people were slaves, just knowing that ‘Amazing Grace’ was written by an ex-slave would make people think about life and history, as would them knowing that Saint Patrick was a slave.