One that comes to mind for me: “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is not always true. Maybe even only half the time! Are there any phrases you tend to hear and shake your head at?
“Grow up and live in the real world” / “Life’s not fair” / other thought-terminating cliches used to shut down anyone who wants the world to be a better place than it is. Like, I fucking know it’s an unfair place. The whole point is that I would like for it to be less unfair.
“Life isn’t fair” always bothered me, even as a kid, because it was used against me to dismiss unjust actions.
Saying something isn’t fair is basically saying it’s not right, it’s not just.
Trying to claim the injustice against me is moot or unimportant just because there’s lots of injustice in the world, seems bonkers to me.
“Everything happens for a reason .”
No. Fuck no, and fuck you. I DARE you to say that to the faces of the endless innocent people—many of whom are CHILDREN—who have been murdered, tortured, abused, enslaved, raped, ect.
I used to say this when I was a cringy 20-year-old, before I really saw and understood the world (and still believed in a god).
