Darkover
Archangel
- Jul 29, 2021
- 5,641
There are many uncomfortable truths about reality that challenge our assumptions, beliefs, and the narratives we've been taught. These truths often provoke discomfort because they highlight the harsh, indifferent, or contradictory nature of existence. Here are some of the most unsettling ones:
Life is inherently unfair: Effort and merit do not guarantee success. Many people who work hard still struggle, while others succeed due to luck, privilege, or circumstances beyond their control. Fairness is often an illusion.
Everyone suffers, and suffering is unavoidable: Suffering is a universal part of life, affecting everyone at some point, regardless of wealth, status, or achievements. Pain, loss, illness, and death are inescapable aspects of the human condition.
You will lose everything you love: Life is transient, and everyone and everything you care about will eventually be lost, whether through death, change, or other circumstances. The impermanence of all things makes loss inevitable.
The world is largely indifferent: The universe does not care about human life, suffering, or desires. Nature operates without regard for human values, and there is no inherent meaning or purpose in the grand scheme of things.
People are often driven by self-interest: Altruism exists, but many actions are motivated by self-interest, survival, or personal gain, even when cloaked in seemingly noble intentions. People often prioritize themselves and their immediate circle over others.
Death is the only certainty: No matter what you achieve, acquire, or experience, death is the one guarantee in life. It is the ultimate equalizer, rendering all pursuits, successes, and failures ultimately temporary.
Change is constant and often outside your control: Life is full of unexpected events, and much of what happens is beyond individual control. Relationships, careers, health, and circumstances can shift suddenly, often with little warning.
You are often your own worst enemy: Self-sabotage, destructive habits, and cognitive biases frequently undermine personal happiness and success. People often make choices that conflict with their long-term well-being due to fear, conditioning, or irrational thinking.
Happiness is fleeting and conditional: Joy and contentment are often temporary and dependent on circumstances, achievements, or external factors that can change at any moment. Contentment is often more about managing desires than fulfilling them.
Most people will never be remembered: In the grand scale of time, most lives are quickly forgotten. History remembers only a tiny fraction of individuals, and even those legacies often fade or are distorted.
Society is built on exploitation and inequality: Many comforts and conveniences come at the expense of others' suffering, often in ways that are hidden or ignored. The structures of modern life—economy, technology, and culture—are often propped up by exploiting the vulnerable.
Belief systems often exist to provide comfort, not truth: Many beliefs—whether religious, ideological, or cultural—are constructed to provide meaning or solace, rather than to reflect objective truth. People often cling to comforting illusions rather than face harsh realities.
Free will is limited: While people like to believe they are fully autonomous, much of human behavior is influenced by genetics, upbringing, societal pressures, and unconscious biases. True freedom of choice is often constrained.
The strongest, not the most virtuous, often prevail: Power, manipulation, and force often dictate outcomes more than morality, justice, or reason. Those who wield control are not necessarily the wisest or most deserving.
Many problems have no solutions: Some issues—such as human nature, existential dread, or the inevitability of death—cannot be "fixed" or resolved. Coping with these realities is part of the human experience.
Life is inherently unfair: Effort and merit do not guarantee success. Many people who work hard still struggle, while others succeed due to luck, privilege, or circumstances beyond their control. Fairness is often an illusion.
Everyone suffers, and suffering is unavoidable: Suffering is a universal part of life, affecting everyone at some point, regardless of wealth, status, or achievements. Pain, loss, illness, and death are inescapable aspects of the human condition.
You will lose everything you love: Life is transient, and everyone and everything you care about will eventually be lost, whether through death, change, or other circumstances. The impermanence of all things makes loss inevitable.
The world is largely indifferent: The universe does not care about human life, suffering, or desires. Nature operates without regard for human values, and there is no inherent meaning or purpose in the grand scheme of things.
People are often driven by self-interest: Altruism exists, but many actions are motivated by self-interest, survival, or personal gain, even when cloaked in seemingly noble intentions. People often prioritize themselves and their immediate circle over others.
Death is the only certainty: No matter what you achieve, acquire, or experience, death is the one guarantee in life. It is the ultimate equalizer, rendering all pursuits, successes, and failures ultimately temporary.
Change is constant and often outside your control: Life is full of unexpected events, and much of what happens is beyond individual control. Relationships, careers, health, and circumstances can shift suddenly, often with little warning.
You are often your own worst enemy: Self-sabotage, destructive habits, and cognitive biases frequently undermine personal happiness and success. People often make choices that conflict with their long-term well-being due to fear, conditioning, or irrational thinking.
Happiness is fleeting and conditional: Joy and contentment are often temporary and dependent on circumstances, achievements, or external factors that can change at any moment. Contentment is often more about managing desires than fulfilling them.
Most people will never be remembered: In the grand scale of time, most lives are quickly forgotten. History remembers only a tiny fraction of individuals, and even those legacies often fade or are distorted.
Society is built on exploitation and inequality: Many comforts and conveniences come at the expense of others' suffering, often in ways that are hidden or ignored. The structures of modern life—economy, technology, and culture—are often propped up by exploiting the vulnerable.
Belief systems often exist to provide comfort, not truth: Many beliefs—whether religious, ideological, or cultural—are constructed to provide meaning or solace, rather than to reflect objective truth. People often cling to comforting illusions rather than face harsh realities.
Free will is limited: While people like to believe they are fully autonomous, much of human behavior is influenced by genetics, upbringing, societal pressures, and unconscious biases. True freedom of choice is often constrained.
The strongest, not the most virtuous, often prevail: Power, manipulation, and force often dictate outcomes more than morality, justice, or reason. Those who wield control are not necessarily the wisest or most deserving.
Many problems have no solutions: Some issues—such as human nature, existential dread, or the inevitability of death—cannot be "fixed" or resolved. Coping with these realities is part of the human experience.
