Venting All of life is a scam

[Darkover]

If you think about it, we're scammed our entire lives because it never occurs to our parents that nothing in our life is guaranteed (either that, or they don't dare explain that to us).
We're constantly told by people older than us, who should have known better by then, that certain things are the case when they are simply not. We're scammed into adopting the principles of some religion. We're told that if we work hard, we can have what we want out of life. Incidentally, we're told that value, and hence wealth acquisition, is coupled to hard work, when in fact it is coupled to scarcity. It's not that if you work hard you will become wealthy, it's that if you work hard to come into possession of something scarce, you could then become wealthy. Not everyone is capable of that.
We're told, and it is assumed of us, that we will be able to have a partner, a family, and be happy. Actually, not everyone can have a partner, for various reasons. Some people are incapable of making a relationship last, due to their own personal faults. Some are mentally ill. Some accidentally have children with a partner who turns out to be mentally ill. Some small percentage of people are too inadequate to be accepted by anyone else.
Even if you're lucky - you have good genes, a good middle class life, and so on - you might still get drafted and killed in a useless war.

We all know this. My point is that we're all constantly being scammed into believing that these things absolutely will be otherwise, when many of them will not. We get lied to by our parents, our teachers, and our elders in general, our entire lives.
When I was a young kid, middle aged women would joke that I would have girls flocking to me when I'm older lol. That never materialize. I'm not mad about it. It's not this one thing in particular that matters. It's just one example of the many ways in which older people mislead us.
Maybe that's a better way of putting it. It's not that older people are deliberately scamming us into believing that certain, optimistic, things will come true. It's that they mislead us into thinking that they will come true. Why? Well, I'm guessing, either because they have been especially lucky in their own lives, and they don't realize how much of an outlier they are, or because they don't dare tell us the truth.

We're also scammed by our hormones most of the time to want to have sex so that more humans can be created, even when we do not want children. Hence most people will "fall in love" with the wrong person just because of this little cruel trick of nature

It's the people that promise things in life. It is them that are scamming you, either intentionally, or because of their own disillusion.

 

[Pluto]

 

[Forever Sleep]

I wonder if parents ever feel scammed into having children. Like, it was expected of them, they bought into the fairytale idea that it would all be rosey and plain sailing. Or, they just surcame to feeling horny and were either careless or unlucky with contraception.

I think overall, my parents were happy with their decision but, sometimes my Dad will say stuff- people don't consider just how much it will change their lives. Probably how much money they cost too. There must be some that regret it and then- those poor kids. It's hardly their fault.

But yeah, it does feel like a scam that we got entered into by some phishing ploy. Like our identities were entered into all this by our parents.

What I truly don't understand is when our parents complain though. Their job was harder than ours. Back in their day, there weren't all the gadgets to help around the house. So much more was expected of them. It's like- so- you worked out it was shit- right? So- why did you think it would be so much better for me? Why would you subject a new life to all this?

 

[Darkover]

What I truly don't understand is when our parents complain though. Their job was harder than ours. Back in their day, there weren't all the gadgets to help around the house. So much more was expected of them. It's like- so- you worked out it was shit- right? So- why did you think it would be so much better for me? Why would you subject a new life to all this?

exactly Parents wake up and go to their depressing job that they hate every day and think "let's have kids so that they can do the exact same thing when they're older"

 

[schrei_nach_liebe]

I feel mostly the same as the OP. I tend to use the word illusion or delusion instead of scam, though. I think if you go back 20 years or so, I would call it more of a scam, things were a lot more intentional before AI. Now we're on autopilot, and the pilots who learned to fly planes with flight plans, needles, and steam gauges are all dead or forgot what they learned. The people who have control now never learned how to fly, only how to monitor the instruments. Almost nothing is intentional or coordinated anymore. There's no clear motive anyone's working towards, there are just lots of words and not much to back any of those words up, even if you could derive any meaning from them in the first place.

 

[ijustwishtodie]

Life really is a scam. Pro lifers say that life is a gift and that we'll get rewarded with hard work but none of that is true. For 99% of humanity, life is just perpetual hardship for mere survival. There's a reason why the phrase "living paycheck to paycheck" exists... except that many people aren't even living but rather only surviving. Even during childhood, there are attempts at indoctrination and scamming to brainwash kids into bring an obedient wage slave in the future and to defend society at all costs. Social indoctrination is the most powerful indoctrination ever and life is a scam.

It's actually unfair at how we didn't consent into being born and yet we're forced to go through so many challenges and responsibilities. I acknowledge that many people like challenges and that's fine as long as they don't force me to go through any challenges either. I'm just different and there's nothing wrong with that. All I want is a stress free life where I don't have to do any responsibilities at all. The fact that I can't get such a life is a massive scam and I loathe society for it

 

[Life'sA6itch]

"We're told that if we work hard, we can have what we want out of life." The biggest lie of them all that, even if your parents don't tell you many others in society will despite it not being true.

 

[Darkover]

1. The Education-Job Mismatch

• Promise: We're told that education is the key to success, and obtaining a degree will lead to a stable and well-paying job.
• Reality: Many graduates find themselves in debt, struggling to get jobs in their fields or taking positions that don't require their level of education. The idea that academic achievement is directly proportional to financial stability often proves misleading.

2. The Illusion of Control

• Promise: We grow up believing we have significant control over our destinies through choices and actions.
• Reality: While individual choices do matter, many life outcomes are influenced by factors beyond our control, such as genetics, accidents, health conditions, economic downturns, and global crises. The idea that we are fully in charge of our fate overlooks the profound role of randomness and luck.

3. The Fairness Fallacy

• Promise: We're taught that life is fair and good deeds are rewarded.
• Reality: In practice, fairness is rarely guaranteed. People who work hard and act ethically don't always receive better outcomes than those who don't. Injustice and inequality persist, often leaving people disillusioned when their efforts don't result in the rewards they expected.

4. Happiness as a Product

• Promise: Society and media imply that happiness can be bought—whether through material possessions, experiences, or achievements.
• Reality: While material goods and milestones can bring temporary satisfaction, long-term fulfillment is more complex and often unrelated to external acquisitions. The chase for happiness through consumption leaves many feeling empty or unfulfilled.

5. The Myth of Meritocracy

• Promise: We're led to believe that talent and hard work will always be recognized and rewarded.
• Reality: The world often operates on networks, nepotism, and systemic advantages rather than pure merit. This can lead to talented, hardworking individuals being overlooked while others advance due to connections or privilege.

6. Societal Pressure and Conformity

• Promise: Following societal norms—such as getting married, having children, and securing a "respectable" job—will lead to a fulfilling life.
• Reality: Conforming to these expectations doesn't guarantee happiness or success for everyone. People who follow the prescribed path often realize later that it didn't align with their true desires or values.

7. The Pursuit of Perfection

• Promise: We are told that we need to strive for perfection in our appearance, work, and social life to be valued and loved.
• Reality: Perfection is an impossible standard, and pursuing it leads to anxiety, burnout, and dissatisfaction. The societal pressure to appear flawless can trap people in a cycle of comparison and self-criticism.

8. Health and Wellness Deceptions

• Promise: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will ensure a long, disease-free life.
• Reality: While healthy living can reduce risks, there are no guarantees. People who eat well, exercise, and avoid harmful habits can still face genetic illnesses or sudden health problems, challenging the idea that perfect health equates to perfect results.

9. Retirement Promises

• Promise: Work hard throughout your life so you can enjoy a peaceful retirement.
• Reality: Many people find that by the time they reach retirement, their health, energy, or financial situation isn't what they expected. Rising costs, inadequate pensions, and health issues can limit the retirement experience that was promised.

10. The "You Can Be Anything" Lie

• Promise: Growing up, we're told that we can be anything we want if we try hard enough.
• Reality: Not everyone has the innate ability, resources, or opportunities to achieve any career or lifestyle they wish. Structural barriers like economic inequality, systemic discrimination, and geographic limitations make this promise more myth than reality for many.