The world we live in is a messed up place. We can’t be sure if it’s always been mean and ugly. But as far as we can remember, humans have proven themselves to be pretty nasty. But the truth is that we’ve got to live here whether we like it or not. So how do we cope with some of the ugly truths about society and about life on Earth? By weaving a web of lies around us to protect ourselves from the world of course! Although we do not advocate or recommend this, more often than not people lie to themselves without realizing it. Here are 5 white lies people on Reddit uncovered that they’ve told themselves, just to feel better about life:
1. Bullies do what they do because their lives suck:
Someone who has been bullied can easily lie to themselves that people hurt someone else because they were themselves hurting on the inside or that their lives sucked. This is one of the dangerous lies that we tell ourselves to repress the damage of being bullied. But the fact is that bullies bully because they are bullies. There can be no excuse for treating other people badly, and we shouldn’t apologize for the actions of a mean person.
2. That all Criminals eventually get payback:
Although crime has its consequences and criminals do get what they deserve, in today’s world, the biggest criminals are sitting in a position of power and are even running Governments. Not all crimes get their due punishment, and there are criminal masterminds that roam scot-free and live grand lives, unlike the poor hardworking souls. There are drug lords that live in hiding for years until they die surrounded by their millions and some of the most corrupt politicians go on to successfully stay in power and lead luxurious lives.
3. This too shall pass:
Although this is meant to calm us down during a bad phase in life, oftentimes it becomes a lie that we tell ourselves over and over again when too many bad things happen or when we are faced with a huge calamity. Some things don’t pass like the loss of a loved one and stay with us for too long.
4. I’ll be happy when:
In our world, happiness is rare and the one who finds it is richer than the richest man on earth. Even if we are happy, there’s no escaping the episodes of dissatisfaction and the existential crisis that plagues everyone. We need to stop lying to ourselves by saying that happiness is a goal that we’ll get to when this event occurs or that goal is fulfilled. Most often it’s a lie and we know we’ll never be happy with material possessions or milestones.
5. If you work hard, it’ll all work out in the end:
This is a lie that we are conditioned with early on. While hard work is a virtue, it’s also more of a personal development and satisfaction goal that we achieve by putting our blood, sweat, and tears into something. But the fact is that in today’s world, hard work is barely enough or never pays off unless we are smart and use our intelligence to achieve something. Also, rarely do people get rewarded for doing hard work alone because not everyone plays by the same rules. Most people bypass hard work through influence or devious methods to get what they want leaving hard workers with nothing on their plate. It’s important to be aware of whether your hard work is being valued or whether other people plan to take credit for your hard work. So save yourself from exerting yourself unnecessarily.
6. That we know it all or have seen it all:
This is a lie that people tell themselves as they get older. We wrongly assume that our life experiences and perceptions about the world are all there is to know. You could be a scholar and still not know everything there is to know. The fact is that the world constantly changes and everything we think we know about the world may cease to exist before we blink.
7. Everything happens for a reason:
While this may be true at times, it’s a lie that we say to pacify ourselves every time something bad happens. The truth is that some things have reasons behind them but others may be completely random events with no explanation whatsoever. The world and life are both unpredictable.
8. Being busy at work is the answer to everything:
People who discover the freedom of being constantly busy think of it as the ultimate goal in life. It’s also a way to escape from our own thoughts and feelings and a way to dodge responsibilities and obligations. There’s also a false sense of perception that immersing yourself in work and ignoring the world around you, your family, and your good health is an easy method to avoid confrontations. But the fact is that in life, what truly matters are the little joys, the happiness, good health, and the company of your loved ones. No matter how hard you work to print truckloads of money, it’s useless if you don’t put that money to good use or if your health and personal life are taking the hit.