Retro Roots. Modern Obsessions.
We were taught to worship suffering — to believe pain meant progress. But what if the grind isn’t noble? What if it’s just control dressed up as virtue? From AI shame to student loan revenge, this essay breaks down the cult of pain we were raised in — and why it’s time to walk away.
I see the anger. I see the fear hiding under it. I see a version of myself standing behind her eyes, and it terrifies me. This is a letter I never thought I’d have to write — to the girl I love, fighting the same ghosts I never fully outran.
We didn’t grow up hearing “I love you.” Now we say it too much. This is a story about ghosts, sitcoms, sharp words, and trying not to screw up the second chance we call parenting.
Genex Geek 