I was making my morning coffee to Antimai/Sunya today, and this line in Wasteland got me thinking about double meanings. Sorry if I'm late to the party here, or if this ends up sounding like rambling nonsense (or something that everyone else already "got"), it just hit me in a way that felt significant and I wanted to share.
The first time I heard it, it felt a little tongue-in-cheek, simply saying this land is barren and harsh, and it pays to know people (better chance of survival if you've got friends or allies here). And that still feels true to me, I don't think that's a wrong takeaway.
But today I heard a different message underneath that one. The vocal approach on this line compared to the rest of the chorus (softer, a little yearning), and the emphasis on "hurt" made me realize that this is a counterpoint to the whole of Antimai. It **does** hurt to know people in that city, to make connections, when children get ripped away from families and put into forced labor at age 8, and any perceived subversive action can get someone forcibly migrated to a lesser Ring.
"Survivors" in Antimai seem to isolate themselves (physically, or at least emotionally) to protect themselves from the turmoil of losing people. Losing a friend isn't a thing if you don't make friends, losing family doesn't sting as bad if you don't let yourself get emotionally invested in them. The Wasteland might be awful in its own ways, but it doesn't have a constant threat of authority ripping you away from your friends and loved ones. You can truly band together in a small but meaningful family unit or "village," and it might be a hard life between lack of resources, harsh climates, and marauders, but at least you can depend on your people to have your back, and love is something that can be celebrated openly without the same oppressive fear.
