However, despite overall harsh conditions and the absence of freedom, enslaved people were not just powerless victims of their owners and the system. Their quarters provided one of the few places where they could be more or less free from constant supervision by overseers; the community might extend well beyond the family and in many cases beyond the single plantation or farm. They created a vibrant social and cultural life beyond the reach of slave owners. While no rational person would wish to be enslaved, they sought to make the best of their circumstances.