r/SeriousConversation • • 30m ago

Serious Discussion Life is a matter of circumstances that's mostly out of your control

• Upvotes

From the day you're born, the two most important things that will matter for the rest of your life are your genetics and environment. Not to say we cannot choose how we adapt to our circumstances but our circumstances mostly determine the trajectory of your life and yet you have little to no control over it.

If for example, you're born in North Korea with severe disabilities with shitty parents in the lowest hierarchical parts of that society, your life is pretty much screwed because you're most likely going to suffer more than some kid born in a 1st world country with exceptional genetics with wealthy, loving parents in a decent community. And at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is whether you live a good life or not.

I'm not 100% anti-natalist but some people should have the moral decency to not have kids if they live in an environment or lack the wisdom to have their potential kids truly thrive and not just exist. Life should be a gift, not an obligation you're forced to suffer in.


r/SeriousConversation • • 6h ago

Opinion Experience is a strange thing!

4 Upvotes

We are often told to defer to experience, to respect someone simply because they have spent years doing something. But time alone doesn’t guarantee insight.

What if they have spent those years without ever questioning if they’re doing it well? What if they have never taken the risks that might have taught them something different, or explored the very things they hold strong opinions about? Time doesn't always challenge our beliefs, it often makes us more stubborn about them.

Why should someone’s conclusions always carry more weight simply because they have held them longer?

Familiarity can look like understanding, especially when neither has been questioned.

Maybe experience isn’t just about how long you’ve lived or what you’ve done, but how deeply you’ve engaged with it.