“The Sufis believe that every human being is a mirror that reflects the universe at large. They say each of us is a walking microcosm. To be human, therefore, means to live with an orchestra of conflicting voices and mixed emotions. This could be a rewarding and enriching experience were we not inclined to praise some members of that inner orchestra at the expense of others. We suppress many aspect of our personalities in order to conform to the perfect image we try to live up to. In this way, there is rarely - if ever- a democracy inside of us, but instead a solid oligarchy where some voices reign over the rest.”
― Elif Shafak, Black Milk: On Writing, Motherhood, and the Harem Within