But you are not wronged. The devil who persecuted you was created by you and you yourself. You think this devil will only invade others, and you think you are above it. It turns out that when the devil is cultivated, everyone is a sacrifice.
You are full of hope for the future of this regime. You are calm and enjoy the idolization and deification of this regime for you and Stalin. You are proud of the privileges you can obtain: a single password can end a military operation; the whole family can go to live in high-end villas at any time, and there are guards and servants. The only stain in your life is to use your authority to send your beloved woman’s former lover to an enemy-occupied area. You know he has to go. In order to keep your conscience at ease, you deceive yourself that he has a choice, and the reason he goes is just Because he is wretched. You deceived yourself and your woman into believing it, but you didn't know that when you did this, you were adding a brick to this system that can use power to rampage.
You, the founders, built this regime into a regime where those in power can do whatever they want. You allow and encourage the creation of gods, brainwashing, let the masses swear to you to be loyal to you, and sing the song "Mom says I want to listen to Stalin", You banned personal choice, and you glorified the ban—all of this, Colonel Kotov, you participated. Before you were arrested, when a group of pioneers saluted you and swore to be someone like you, when your family was excited to pick up your car, did you finally feel absurd and hypocritical?
You obviously don't. In the car, you are still proud that you have a dedicated line to talk to Stalin, and you say: "When I call him, your organization will be ruined!" You still think that the horror system you created has nothing to do with you. I still think that I am above this system, a privileged person, and a ruler. You don't know, this system is a devil, it will only take orders from the person who masters it-that person. You pushed him to the position of mastering the devil. You thought you were his close comrade-in-arms, but when a person possesses such a powerful weapon as the devil, does he still need a comrade-in-arms?
There is no denying that you are a good person—except for a stain caused by love. But you agree to make all this and participate in it all. When you allow and enjoy the difference made by such a system, you are actually no different from Stalin, you are a little Stalin, a good Stalin. You are good because you haven't reached that position. If you had a button to manipulate the devil, you, a person who could have harmed others for love, would have done something, it is already imaginable.
When that huge portrait of Stalin rises from the horizon, a demon has been created. He is invincible, already thunderous, and has destroyed countless lives with one finger. Under it are ant people. You, Colonel Kotov, once thought that you were not one of the ants, but now reality tells you: so are you. How dare you think that in front of such a huge image, you still have the opportunity to stand side by side with him?
Your sin is to fantasize about sharing the devil button with him. The devil cannot share it. Your fault is that you helped him cultivate such a devil, and you think that this devil will lead your motherland and your relatives to a better future. You paid the price, and your loved ones also paid.
All the innocents paid the price together. They have no choice, but you used to have. Colonel Kotov, at the last moment, do you regret it?
View more about Burnt by the Sun reviews
