Chapter 1: The Cycle of Suffering

The phrase, “I endured this, so you should too!” prompts an important question: Why?

As discussions about the potential for widespread student loan forgiveness gain traction, a recurring sentiment emerges. Time and again, following any tweet, video, or article addressing student loan relief, you’ll find individuals expressing frustration. They claim they would be “upset” if they cleared their own student debt only to see others benefit from forgiveness. But why does this provoke anger?

Personally, I yearn for a future where younger generations do not face the same hurdles I encountered.

I hope that the upcoming generations of girls and women will not endure the sexual harassment that plagued my early career.

I wish for a world where mental health is treated with compassion and understanding, rather than stigma and neglect.

I long for younger individuals to escape the heavy burden of student debt that so many of us are grappling with today.

Reflecting on my past, I once recounted an experience of harassment I faced early in my career. It was nothing extreme—just the standard inappropriate comments about my looks and language. Nevertheless, such behavior should never be deemed acceptable.

When sharing my story, I was met with the response that I was merely complaining. The individual I spoke with had faced similar challenges and suggested it was simply a rite of passage for women. Their advice was to stop voicing my concerns and just cope with it. But why should anyone have to accept that?

Just because you experienced it doesn’t mean I should too. I aspire to redefine what is considered acceptable.

Wishing pain and suffering on others simply because you endured it is counterproductive.

Isn’t our collective aim to improve the world for future generations? Were we not taught to leave things better than we found them? When did the expectation shift to imply that others must endure hardship simply because we did?

Is this belief a means of validating your own suffering? Or perhaps a desire for shared experiences in pain? I genuinely seek answers.

My aspiration has always been to contribute to a world that is more compassionate, accepting, and nurturing than the one I entered.

Suffering should not be the norm; pain should not be an accepted part of life. Our objective should be to alleviate suffering for as many individuals as possible while we inhabit this planet.

I struggle to comprehend the mindset that promotes the opposite perspective.

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Chapter 2: Understanding Pain Through Perspective

In the quest for understanding our emotional struggles, various perspectives emerge.

The first video, “Speaking of Psychology: Why We Choose to Suffer” featuring Paul Bloom, PhD, delves into the psychology behind our choices regarding pain and suffering. It offers insights that can help us navigate our own experiences.

Chapter 3: The Philosophical Debate on Suffering

As we explore the nature of suffering, we encounter challenging questions.

The second video, “Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering? Argument from Evolution [ANIMATION],” presents an animated examination of the reasons behind suffering from a philosophical and evolutionary perspective, encouraging deeper reflection on our experiences.