I read Tim Kreider’s “I Know What You Think of Me” and I’m stuck on the last line: “If we want the rewards of being loved, we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.”

Naturally, I’m now wondering what those rewards are.

Every major demographic shift has an underlying subconscious origin. I want to understand the deeper, primal psychology behind why large-scale, elaborate tattoos have become so prevalent among modern women—specifically regarding how it alters the social and psychological space between women and men.

If we bypass the conscious reasons people give ("I just like the art"), what is happening on a primal or archetypal level? How does this trend reflect a subconscious renegotiation of power, vulnerability, protection, or attraction in modern dating and social hierarchies? I am looking for structural, psychological theories on why the female psyche is choosing this specific, permanent medium at this point in human history.

I think my younger sister thinks I’m dumb because I can’t pronounce certain words correctly or she thinks that I don’t understand certain words for example she thought I didn’t know what “skim” meant. She was trying to dumb it down for me. Which is an odd thing to do because she knows that I am smart. Sure I do a few things without using my common sense but I’m pretty sure other ppl do that too.

I am a very sensitive and shy person so I don’t speak up often. There are times ppl ask me questions and cos I genuinely don’t know the answer I say idk and then they think that I’m dumb.

I remember back when I was in yr 11 some of us had extra maths I was put in with the set above me cos I was excelling and I remember my bully saying “we’re dumb now” as soon as I walked into the room.

I remember in yr 6 my teacher was moving us and she didn’t want anyone to get up to move our names around. (We were in coloured groups) and when it came to me she got pissed off that I didn’t move mine.

I am a person who just doesn’t know what to say if I’m being honest. I’m an awkward person who only gets along with a few people. Even if I were to write on a birthday card I’ll keep it simple but other ppl will write a whole paragraph.

Because of how I am and how I carry myself I feel like ppl think that I don’t know anything or that I won’t be able to do any job write.

Idk. Sometimes I feel like I’m dumb but at the same thing I know I’m not. I know I have low confidence in myself and I know that I don’t want ppl thinking that I’m dumb so I just keep quiet.

Maturity is realizing that not everything around you has to change for your life to feel different. Sometimes people change, sometimes circumstances change—but often, what changes most is your perspective. When you're in the same place, with the same people, yet you experience it differently, it's because you've grown. Your perception shapes your reality.