Social politics at work here today. I'm going to be my opinionated self here today, because these articles do nothing to help simplify and make our lives happier, They do just the opposite.
These articles that are all about what is WRONG with everyone. You've seen them - "5 stupid habits" "10 stupid habits" "562 stupid habits" ( OK, I made up the last.) that people develop coming from being in a broken home, or parents who were together forever. or poor, or rich, or getting married, or getting divorced, or staying single,or having kids, or not having kids, or owning a dog, cat, flesh eating bacteria in a jar, or basically, just through being born and growing up.
First off, they start with telling you that you are stupid - if at any point, any of these habits fit you in the least bit, you're stupid. Reason number one to not read these articles Most people have doubts and self esteem issues about themselves, they do not need some author writing an article to meet a deadline and get paid, telling them what a bad person they are. Enough people think they're bad people.
Second reason - I've read many of these articles, because I'm curious like that. Well, tell you what - all kinds of people could have those habits without ever having that background. One of my favorites from the broken home article - "trouble finishing projects". Not all projects, just some. Well, my parents were married until my mom passed away, and guess what? I damn near always have at least three different projects laying about unfinished. I can point to three in this room right now, and that's not counting the unfinished projects bin in the basement. It has nothing to do with my parent's marital status, or my upbringing, it has to do with me sometimes getting easily bored, or my elbow injury - I can only do one thing for so long before it starts to hurt, so time for something else.
The bad habits of the poor? I've seen rather rich people do those things too. People I know who were raised rich and who have never been poor. Generalizations fail, folks.
Third reason? Whatever, whomever you are, those generalized "habits you develop" often do not apply to you. But the article makes it seem if you are a green and purple transsexual alien who loves golf, you MUST have these habits, all because the author knows someone just like you has those habits. Wrong.
All of us are fallible, all of us have doubts about ourselves, our lives. All of us have played the "What If" game. It doesn't make us a stereotype.
Realize that you are you - a good person, a decent person. Don't let a lame article tell you that you should hate yourself, that you should have habits that you do not.
And if you do have habits you don't like, ask for help in changing them. Trying to go it alone sometimes doesn't work, and a simple reminder from someone else close to you may help a great deal.
Consider this you reminder if your habit is to take those articles to heart. We like you as you are, you are good person. Stop reading those articles.
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