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  1. Hard hitting lines and the lines that spoke to me are :-

    “Well meaning friends have gently or bluntly told me that my experiences of abuse turned me against me/marriage. There may be some truth to that’

    “Friends tell me wistfully, that they’d love to see me settled or that I deserve my fairytale. Fairytales are brutal on the women in them and on women who reject them’

    Reminded me of the quote I wrote regarding relationships many many days ago “You promised me eternal Heaven, but gave me eternal Hell’

    “Friends tell me wistfully, that they’d love to see me settled or that I deserve my fairytale. Fairytales are brutal on the women in them and on women who reject them’

    1. Through my twenties. I was relentlessly shamed & attacked by family, friends & colleagues for not prioritising marriage and for pursuing a career

    2. @Harshaman: There’s a problem with the assumption that someone else will bring us fulfilment or safety or purpose or any other kind of heaven. It’s what the stories tell us, right from fairytales to Hollywood/Indian popular cinema. If you think about it, you can see how these are ways to gaslight society, make people think they’re weak & need someone else to solve their problems.

      In the earlier days, it allowed a few people, usually monarchs & religious leaders to control large groups of people by promising to be their saviours, protectors & guides. For centuries, most human beings across the planet were not allowed to take any actions without it being ratified by a higher authority like the prevelant religion or caste or class.

      In our current world, it continues to be the same but with different faces of the exploiters. Capitalism is founded on making people spend. Most entertainment & popular narratives are funded by this system & geared up towards making people feel their lives are incomplete unless they spend more. Feeling ugly? It’s not because of unrealistic body standards propagated by the media but your own issues which can be solved by spending on beauty products. Feeling lonely? Spend to attract that one magical mate who will wave a wand and solve all your problems. See the vicious cycle? Love & companionship have nothing to do with this.