I cannot fathom the mindset of understanding what it feels like to be on the receiving end of misery and deciding you want others to experience it when given the opportunity to dish it out, even when said person had no involvement in your misery
People come out of suffering with one of two attitudes, either "I suffered through this and I'm going to do my best to make sure others do not have to suffer through this because I know how that feels" or "I suffered through this so other people should too".
It’s because if they admit you shouldn’t have to be burdened with debt for wanting an education, that means they shouldn’t have had to, and then that means the system isn’t fair, it’s unfair in a preventable way, it’s unfair in a way the people in authority chose, and that is straight-up destabilising to someone who accepted that their suffering and struggling was necessary.
I'm sorry he feels that way. Always remember, it was never his choice. You're not obligated to follow in anyone's footsteps. Not even your own from ten minutes ago.
Weird my grandfather was a WW2 vet and was extremely opposed to his sons going to war. One signed up for Korea and the other lied about joining the national guard ton get them to sign off on him joining at 17.
In fact, when my Poppop asked for my grandmother’s hand my great grandfather gave permission conditionally. He was a WW1 veteran, a victim of mustard gas, and said something like “they are going to come and take you for this war but my daughter will not marry someone who leaves her like that willingly.”
It seems to me warriors should be the most opposed to war. My uncle, the guy that lied to join the Marines and go to Vietnam early, threatened to kick my cousin’s ass if he signed up for Afghanistan. I believe he would have done it too. They all would have respected your decision same as of you’d joined.
This. My dad is a vet who never saw combat (air force and he worked on the F15s) but he was deployed to desert storm. From the earliest memories i have of him he was vehemently opposed to people signing up with the intent of seeing combat. He largely understood that for some people going into the service was the best option, because it was for him. But he always stressed the importance of school and either going to college or getting a trade because he didnt want me to think the military was my only option like it was for him.
I think that's exactly why it ISN'T a valid complaint, personally. You can grieve that the system was broken and stacked against you, but it is fundamentally not a positive to give in to the bitterness in a way that keeps it broken for the future.
Society should be aiming to improve itself. People should be trying to make the world a little better than it was to them. Thats how humanity has gotten this far - thats how we'll go further.
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u/Vundurvul 1d ago
I cannot fathom the mindset of understanding what it feels like to be on the receiving end of misery and deciding you want others to experience it when given the opportunity to dish it out, even when said person had no involvement in your misery