"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"

Simone Weil uses the metaphor of horses and bits to describe how human beings often harm themselves when they blindly follow the status quo or societal norms without questioning them. Simply as a horse pulls versus a bit that triggers it discomfort, people conform to expectations put upon them by external forces, such as society, family, or religion. This conformity leads to a loss of awareness and a lack of vital thinking, which Weil recommends hurts to re-awaken. Ultimately, she is cautioning against passive acceptance of the world around us and is encouraging people to question whatever and to tap into their independent crucial thinking abilities.