"They can rule the world while they can persuade us our pain belongs in some order is death by famine worse than death by suicide, than a life of famine and suicide...?"

This quote by Adrienne Rich speaks to the power of persuasion and how it can be utilized to shape our understanding of the world. It questions the idea of assigning a hierarchy to suffering, asking if death by scarcity is worse than death by suicide, or if a life of famine and suicide is even worse than either. Rich is recommending that those in power can use persuasion to make us think that particular types of suffering are even worse than others, and that this can be used to control us. This quote highlights the value of questioning the status quo and understanding the power of persuasion. It motivates us to believe critically about the world around us and to challenge the stories that exist to us. Ultimately, it serves as a pointer that we must constantly be aware of the power of persuasion and how it can be used to manipulate us.