Socrates succeeds in his career by steadfastly remaining true to himself and striving for what is right, even when faced with absurd rules like those on the Bounty application. He states, "If I don't work I cain't afford no phone," and adds, "If I don't have no phone then I cain't work. You might as well just put me in the ground." Socrates applies a crucial insight he gained shortly after his release from prison. One day, he wandered into the Capricorn Bookshop, seeking relief from the heat, and discovered "the Afro-American literature." He learned about "black cowboys" and "black scientists and war heroes and con men." At the bookshop, he was free to converse about his readings with the owners and patrons, marking a turning point in his life. "Twenty-three years angry and poor, twenty-seven more in prison, and then all of a sudden it just all fell into place."

Socrates came to understand that true enslavement is a matter of the mind. He realized he was being manipulated by those who "own ev'rything," such as the media, military, and law enforcement, who "tell us what they want us to know." He admitted that he "was just workin' for the men made the rules," acknowledging that these rules are inherently racist. "Killin' my own people was just part'a the rules. Makin' myself a jailbird was just what they wanted." When Socrates left prison, he was still bitter and perplexed. "You know my main problem was that I was never sure what was right. You know—absolutely sure." However, now he can distinguish right from wrong because he recognizes the issue lies within those "rules," each one "made to put money in another man's pocket." Therefore, he believes it's essential to defy these rules. "Because any black man that ever did a thing for hisself broke the rules—he had to because the rules say that a black man cain't have nuthin'."

Mosley's brilliance lies in his ability to address themes without framing them solely in terms of race. The moral principles that Socrates develops and adheres to possess universal significance. Socrates is acutely aware that not all police officers are white and that "businessmen come in all colors—even black." Despite this, Socrates believes that his insights are particularly vital for his own community. He poses the question, "What's the biggest problem a black man have?" during a discussion with his informal jury of friends about a neighborhood drug addict. He provides the answer for everyone: it is about being a man. "Standing up and declaring what we want and what we refuse to accept."

To truly become a man, one must "know what he can do, an' what he cain't." Achieving this sense of manhood isn't through the belief in a divine plan or conventional worship of God. Socrates vividly recalls his aunt's childhood lesson, where she told him that God "ain't white like they say he is." Moreover, He "ain't black. If he was, there wouldn't be all this mess down here wit' us." According to his aunt, "God's blue." God is as "sad and cold and far away" as the ocean or the sky. Years later, as Socrates walks along the ocean, he reflects on how people continuously strive for a God who remains out of reach. "Man ain't never satisfied wit' what is an' that's why they's only one out of a hunnert that's happy."

Instead, one must search for truth within oneself. Through self-reflection and self-awareness, one can achieve moral self-governance, leading to goodness and moments of genuine happiness. Socrates promotes the universal principle...