YOU ARE RAGEBAITED 24x7

(How your emotions are constantly used against you – and how to break free)

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1. WHAT IS RAGEBAIT?

Ragebait means anything that makes you emotional — especially angry, scared, jealous, or hurt — so that you stop thinking clearly.

You are then forced to react quickly. And when you react without thinking, someone else benefits.

Examples:

A headline says: “This religion is dangerous” — now you’re angry.

A story says: “Your job is at risk because of others” — now you’re afraid.

An ad says: “Your skin is too dark” — now you feel shame.

A video says: “Look how they insulted your beliefs” — now you want revenge.

They do this because emotional people are easier to control.

You are more likely to:

Click something

Buy something

Fight someone

Obey someone

Forget the truth

This happens in every area of life — from childhood till death.

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2. HOW YOUR BRAIN FALLS FOR IT

Your brain is designed to notice danger first — this was useful for survival long ago.

But today, companies, media, leaders and marketers use this trick against you.

They show you things that look like danger — even when there is none.

Example:

If you see a story about a robbery in one city, you feel like your own house is unsafe.

If you see a video of someone fighting, your heart starts racing, even if it’s fake.

You stop thinking. You react.

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3. RAGEBAIT BEGINS IN CHILDHOOD

Children are taught to react from a very young age.

Examples:

When a child cries, a screen is put in front of them — not love.

When children eat, they are shown cartoons — not taught to enjoy food.

Teachers say: “Look at him! Why can’t you be like him?” — this creates shame.

Parents say: “If you don’t top the class, you are nothing” — this creates fear.

Instead of learning patience, listening, and understanding, kids learn to compare, obey, and panic.

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4. SCHOOL MAKES YOU REACT, NOT THINK

In school, students are told to:

Memorise fast

Compete with friends

Get top marks at any cost

Fear failure

Examples:

Students are made fun of if they ask “silly” questions.

Exams are treated as war.

Parents only ask, “How much did you score?” not “What did you understand?”

No one teaches you to reflect, to slow down, or to be yourself.

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5. YOUTH ARE TRAPPED IN IDENTITY RAGE

As people grow older, they are taught to feel proud or ashamed of their group — caste, religion, gender, region.

Examples:

Boys are told to “act like a man” and never cry.

Girls are told they must “look beautiful” to be respected.

People are told, “We are from this religion, so we must defend it at any cost.”

Friends fight because one follows a different belief.

This creates a world where people are always ready to fight, instead of listen.

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6. RAGEBAIT INSIDE HOMES

Even inside families, emotional traps are used.

Examples:

A mother says, “After all I’ve done for you, you still hurt me” — now the child feels guilty.

A husband says, “If you really loved me, you’d do this for me” — now the wife feels ashamed.

Elders say, “If you don’t follow our customs, you’re insulting our ancestors” — now the young person feels confused.

These are not conversations. These are emotional traps.

They stop real love and understanding. They create control.

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7. INFORMATION IS TURNED INTO NOISE

Today, people hear too many things, too fast.

Examples:

You hear ten different opinions about one topic.

Everyone is shouting, “This is true!” or “That is fake!”

You stop asking, “What is real?”

This makes people tired. So they pick a side, even if it’s wrong.

That’s how fights start. Not from facts, but from too much confusion.

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8. RELIGION IS USED TO CREATE FEAR AND PRIDE

True religion teaches love, honesty, peace, and patience.

But today, it is often used to:

Make people feel superior

Create enemies

Sell fear

Start arguments

Examples:

People fight over temple land, rituals, language of prayer.

People say, “Only our way is right.”

Expensive poojas and ceremonies are sold as “guarantees” for peace.

But real faith doesn’t make you loud. It makes you quiet.

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9. POLITICS DIVIDES YOU ON PURPOSE

Leaders want loyalty, not questions.

So they teach people to:

Blame other castes

Blame other states

Blame other countries

Fight over old history

Stay angry

Examples:

Instead of asking, “Where is clean water?”, people are made to ask, “Who is the traitor?”

Instead of talking about jobs, people talk about statues, flags, and hate.

It’s a trap. If people unite, they become strong.

So leaders use rage to keep people divided and distracted.

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10. YOUR BODY IS USED TO MAKE YOU INSECURE

You are taught that your body is never good enough.

Examples:

Dark skin? Use fairness cream.

Fat? Take expensive pills.

Grey hair? Dye it.

Wrinkles? Get injections.

Even healthy people are told they are “ugly” so they keep buying.

No one says, “Your body is fine. Take care of it, not change it.”

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11. FOOD IS USED TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS

Food is no longer eaten with peace. It is used to react to emotion.

Examples:

Angry? Eat fried snacks.

Sad? Eat sugar.

Bored? Keep chewing.

Lonely? Order something.

Happy? Overeat.

You are not eating for health. You are eating for escape.

Then, when sickness comes, people don’t ask why. They take more pills.

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12. HEALTHCARE USES FEAR FOR MONEY

Hospitals and doctors can help. But often, fear is used to sell more.

Examples:

Mild headache? Do brain scan.

Slight fever? Admit for 2 days.

Small child crying? Take 5 tests.

Old parent? Put on expensive drip.

Nobody asks:

What did you eat?

Are you resting enough?

Are you angry or scared?

Because there’s no money in these questions.

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13. OLD AGE HAS LOST ITS PEACE

Earlier, elders were calm, respected, and wise.

Now they are:

Made to feel useless

Kept on medicines till last breath

Forced into rituals they don’t understand

Caught in property fights

Even at the end of life, there is noise, fear, and control.

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14. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY TO ESCAPE

If you stop reacting, people may:

Call you cold

Say you are “out of touch”

Try to provoke you again

Make you feel guilty

You may feel lonely or confused at first. That’s normal.

But slowly, you become clear.

You begin to:

Eat with awareness

Speak with calm

Listen deeply

Live slowly

This is not weakness. It is strength.

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15. HOW TO BREAK FREE (SMALL DAILY STEPS)

You don’t need to run away from the world. You need to change how you respond to it.

Try this:

Don’t forward messages that make you emotional — pause.

Don’t argue with strangers — it changes nothing.

Eat at least one meal daily in full silence — no phone, no TV.

Walk every day, alone, without devices — even 10 minutes is enough.

Ask yourself 3 questions before reacting:

1. Is this true?

2. Is this useful?

3. Who benefits if I get emotional?

These are small acts. But they make a big difference.

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16. FINAL TRUTH: CALM IS YOUR REAL POWER

You are not born to be angry all day.

You are not meant to keep fighting and reacting.

But every system around you — school, news, religion, family, ads — tries to keep you emotional and weak.

Because when you are calm:

You think clearly

You don’t waste money

You don’t believe lies

You make better choices

You treat others with kindness

You are hard to control

And that’s why they bait you. Again and again.

But you can stop biting.

Even if the whole world is loud, you can become quiet.

Not silent in fear. But silent in clarity.

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WHY ARE WE ALWAYS SO ANGRY?

A multigenerational family sits with Madhukar and slowly uncovers how most of their thoughts, emotions, goals, dreams, pain, and even relationships are just ragebaited.

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CHARACTERS:

Madhukar – rural healer and guide, calm and quiet

Appa – grandfather, retired school principal, sharp but bitter

Amma – homemaker, full of guilt and worry

Lalitha – their 38-year-old daughter, banker, perfectionist

Ajay – Lalitha’s 14-year-old son, confused and sarcastic

Anju – Madhukar’s 10-year-old daughter, observant and playful

Lakshmi – Lalitha’s elder cousin, 50, unmarried, lives alone

Prasad – Lalitha’s husband, working in IT, mostly silent

Ravi – a neighbour who visits often, curious and talkative

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SCENE:

A quiet morning in Madhukar’s front courtyard. The family sits under a neem tree. Castor oil packs are kept nearby. Some are sipping buttermilk. No phones in sight.

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1. OPENING – AJAY’S RESTLESSNESS

Ajay (grumbling): I’m bored. What’s the point of all this sitting and oil and silence?

Madhukar: Do you know what boredom is?

Ajay: When nothing exciting happens.

Madhukar: Or maybe when your brain doesn’t know how to live without being poked.

Ajay: Huh?

Madhukar: If someone doesn’t make you angry, happy, jealous, or excited... you feel lost. Right?

Ajay: (nods slowly) Yeah.

Madhukar: That’s ragebait. The hunger to feel something strong all the time. Even if it’s false.

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2. APPPA’S PRIDE

Appa: What’s wrong with emotions? Anger built this country. We fought for independence with it!

Madhukar: True. But did you notice? Your anger stayed. The freedom didn’t.

Appa: (grunts) What do you mean?

Madhukar: You retired 20 years ago. You still shout when people speak English wrongly. You scold neighbours if they skip voting. You get angry when TV anchors raise their voice.

Appa: Because they are ruining everything!

Madhukar: Or maybe they’ve been feeding your anger for decades. So that you always feel right. And they always get your attention.

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3. LALITHA’S GOALS

Lalitha: I don’t agree. I worked hard for everything. My career, our house, Ajay’s school. That’s not ragebait.

Madhukar: What made you work so hard?

Lalitha: I wanted to prove I’m not just a housewife like Amma. I wanted to be financially independent.

Madhukar: So your goal was built on a wound.

Lalitha: (silent)

Madhukar: Did anyone teach you what enough means?

Lalitha: No.

Madhukar: So you keep achieving. But feel hollow.

Lalitha: (softly) Yes.

Madhukar: That’s ragebait. Not anger this time. But an endless hunger. Planted in you by comparison.

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4. AMMA’S GUILT

Amma: I didn’t chase a career. But even I feel tired. I always think I’m not doing enough.

Madhukar: Who told you that?

Amma: Everyone. TV ads. Neighbours. Family WhatsApp groups. Even my friends say, “You just sit at home?”

Madhukar: So now, rest feels like laziness. Love feels like duty. Silence feels like failure.

Amma: (eyes tear up) Yes. I feel shame for even enjoying my time.

Madhukar: That’s ragebait too. Hidden. Silent. But powerful.

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5. LAKSHMI’S LONELINESS

Lakshmi: Then what about me? I didn’t chase career. I didn’t marry. I just read, taught, cooked, stayed out of drama. But now everyone calls me useless. Alone.

Madhukar: You’re not angry. But they are.

Lakshmi: Yes! People are angry that I’m not suffering like them. They keep saying, “It’s not too late, you can still find a partner.” As if I’m broken.

Madhukar: Because your peace makes others uncomfortable. You didn’t follow the “sacrifice and suffer” script. So they feel rage. And want to pull you in.

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6. PRASAD’S SILENCE

Ravi (to Prasad): You’re so quiet. What’s going on in your mind?

Prasad: I just don’t know what to believe anymore. Everything feels fake. Work, money, rules, awards, advice… It’s like I’m running, but the road keeps moving backward.

Madhukar: You’re not lost, Prasad. You’re waking up. The system made you a runner. But you were never told why you’re running.

Prasad: (nods)

Madhukar: Ragebait doesn’t always look like anger. Sometimes, it looks like meaningless motion.

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7. AJAY’S COMPARISON TRAP

Ajay: At school, I feel sick. Everyone is better at something. I feel like if I don’t top, I don’t matter.

Madhukar: That’s not your fault. You were given a trap. Not an education.

Ajay: But I also want to win. I feel good when I get more marks than Rahul.

Madhukar: Of course. That’s the bait. Temporary pride.

Ajay: What happens if I stop chasing it?

Madhukar: You’ll feel lost at first. Then peaceful. Then powerful.

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8. ANJU’S SIMPLE TRUTH

Anju: Yesterday, I watched an ant for 10 minutes. Everyone thought I was lazy.

Lalitha: (softly) I scolded her.

Anju: But it was carrying rice bigger than its head. It kept falling, trying again.

Madhukar: Did you learn something?

Anju: Yes. It never shouted. It never looked at other ants. It just kept walking.

Madhukar: That’s how humans used to be. Before we were trained to chase drama.

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9. RAVI’S AWAKENING

Ravi: So, are you saying we’re all being emotionally used?

Madhukar: Yes. Constantly.

Ravi: Even love?

Madhukar: Especially love. Most love is just fear of loneliness mixed with need for approval.

Ravi: So what is true love?

Madhukar: Silence with someone without needing to explain.

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10. THE FAMILY REFLECTS

Appa: So much of my life… wasted in arguments.

Amma: So much energy spent on shame.

Lalitha: So many of my goals were not even mine.

Ajay: Even my anger… feels planted.

Lakshmi: Maybe my peace was not a failure. It was freedom.

Prasad: (quietly) I want to feel still again.

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11. MADHUKAR’S LAST WORDS

Madhukar: You were all raised to feel something quickly.

But you were never taught to feel deeply.

You were told to react. But not to reflect.

Now you see it.

The world doesn’t need more smart people. It needs calm people.

Because a calm person is the one who:

Eats when hungry

Speaks when needed

Works without noise

Listens without jumping

Lives without needing to prove

That’s the real rebellion.

And it begins here.

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ONE YEAR LATER – A QUIET REBELLION

A family returns to Madhukar's courtyard, not with complaints this time—but with slow change, new eyes, and quiet power.

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SCENE:

The neem tree still stands. The bench is worn but strong. Clay pots cool the buttermilk. Birds chirp. Anju has grown a little taller. A cow chews slowly near the fence. The family walks in—one by one—without phones, without rush.

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1. AJAY – LESS NOISE, MORE CURIOSITY

Ajay (smiling): I didn’t break my phone. But I broke my habit.

Madhukar: What did you change?

Ajay: I deleted news apps, muted all groups, stopped scrolling before sleeping. At first it felt like withdrawal. Then I started noticing things.

Madhukar: Like what?

Ajay: How my stomach feels after chips. How my breath changes when I argue. How bored I am when I win.

Madhukar: You’re learning to observe without escaping.

Ajay: And I’ve started asking why—before I react.

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2. LALITHA – FROM PROOF TO PEACE

Lalitha (quietly): I still work in the bank. But I stopped proving.

Madhukar: How?

Lalitha: I no longer do extra just to look good. I stopped chasing every promotion. I don’t argue when people call me “overqualified mother.”

Madhukar: What changed?

Lalitha: I stopped measuring myself against Amma’s silence and office posters. I started asking: Who am I if I don’t need to impress?

Madhukar: And?

Lalitha: Still figuring out. But… I sleep better.

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3. AMMA – GUILT UNLOADED

Amma (wiping her eyes gently): I used to cook with tension. Now I cook with presence.

Madhukar: What helped?

Amma: I stopped watching kitchen reels. I stopped asking if I’m enough. I started walking after lunch. I light a lamp without asking for anything. I stopped comparing my life with Savitha from Hyderabad who sends 4 tiffins a day to her son.

Madhukar: You stopped borrowing guilt.

Amma: Yes. And I started listening to my own silence.

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4. LAKSHMI – OWNING HER ALONE

Lakshmi: I finally said no to five relatives who tried to fix me.

Madhukar: Marriage proposals?

Lakshmi: Advice. Invitations. Subtle traps. “Come live with us, you shouldn’t be alone.” But I realised—I’m not lonely. They are. They just can’t sit with their own mind.

Madhukar: What did you do?

Lakshmi: I started tutoring two kids from the village. I cook with them. We eat slowly. No syllabus. No shame.

Madhukar: That’s love without bait.

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5. PRASAD – THE PAUSE BETWEEN TASKS

Prasad: I still work in IT. But now, I take one silent break between tasks.

Madhukar: Just one?

Prasad: Yes. I close the laptop. I look out the window. I breathe. It’s not about becoming a monk. It’s about breaking the automation.

Madhukar: And what did that do?

Prasad: I no longer get pulled into nonsense debates. I don’t need to be right all the time. My head is quieter.

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6. APPA – SOFTER ANGER

Appa: I didn’t become a saint. I still get angry. But now I know when it’s fake.

Madhukar: How can you tell?

Appa: If the anger feels instant and loud—it’s ragebait. If it’s quiet and makes me want to fix something—it’s real.

Madhukar: Example?

Appa: When a news anchor shouts, I mute the TV. When my granddaughter says “Appa, will you eat with me?” I say yes.

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7. ANJU – THE SAME, YET WISER

Madhukar: Anju, what about you?

Anju: I still watch ants. And now Ajay sometimes joins me.

Ajay (grins): Only sometimes.

Anju: I made a rule. No talking while watching. Only noticing.

Madhukar: And what do you notice now?

Anju: Everyone’s rushing for nothing. Even bees. But flowers just wait. Still. Full of colour.

Madhukar: And?

Anju: Maybe humans forgot how to be like flowers.

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8. RAVI – UNFOLLOWED THE WORLD

Ravi: I unfollowed 90% of the world. News, politics, astrology channels, finance tips, fitness bros.

Madhukar: So now what do you follow?

Ravi: One cow. Two neighbours. My breath. My wife’s laugh.

(Everyone laughs)

Madhukar: You’re becoming dangerous.

Ravi: Why?

Madhukar: Because no one can bait a man who notices his breath before the headline.

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9. FINAL REFLECTION – SLOW, NOT SPECTACULAR

Lalitha: I thought change would be loud. But it’s so quiet.

Madhukar: That’s real change. Loud change is marketing. Quiet change is medicine.

Appa: No medals. But fewer ulcers.

Ajay: No viral posts. But more sleep.

Prasad: No applause. But less panic.

Amma: No likes. But real hugs.

Lakshmi: No “success story.” Just calm evenings.

Ravi: No followers. Just fewer headaches.

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10. MADHUKAR’S LAST WORDS

Madhukar: All of you took one small step. You paused. You watched. You didn’t bite the bait.

That’s more radical than any protest. Because...

Calm is louder than anger.

Awareness is stronger than emotion.

Reflection is rarer than reaction.

You didn’t run away from the world. You walked through it without picking every fight.

That’s enough.

Even one family living like this… changes the air.

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[FADE OUT – THE SOUND OF BIRDS, NOT SCREENS]

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EVERY BUTTON ON YOU IS FOR SALE

They don’t need chains anymore.

Just buttons.

One for pride.

One for shame.

One for jealousy.

One for grief.

One for ‘I deserve better.’

One for ‘How dare they.’

One for your family.

One for your God.

One for your hunger.

One for your skin.

All wired.

And they press them all day.

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You think you’re scrolling.

You’re being harvested.

By people who don’t care who you are,

only how you feel.

And if they can make you feel fast,

you’re theirs.

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They don’t want your mind.

That takes time.

They want your heart rate.

Your fist.

Your click.

Your share.

Your panic.

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A man in a small town kills himself

because he thought

his neighbor’s cousin

was getting more likes.

That story didn’t go viral.

Because peace doesn’t sell.

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Your phone knows when you slow down.

That’s when it throws a headline at you.

Your TV knows when the room is quiet.

That’s when it explodes with debate.

Even your boss knows

you’ll stay longer if someone tells you

you’re replaceable.

Fear

is cheaper than bonuses.

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They give you gods made of algorithm,

morality made of trending reels,

truth made of team logos,

justice shaped by hashtags,

education written by the advertiser,

and ask you to pledge allegiance

to an emotion you didn’t even own.

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The new loyalty is rage.

They say:

“Don’t ask if it’s real.

Just pick a side.”

Left, right, up, down.

Doesn’t matter.

Only matters if you’re loud.

Quiet people scare them.

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Your grandmother used to listen

to the wind

to decide when to plant rice.

Now she listens to WhatsApp

to decide whom to hate.

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There’s a man at the tea shop

who hates people from three states

he’s never visited.

He doesn’t know why.

But it feels good to belong.

To a war.

To a team.

To a wound.

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In a classroom,

a child says she likes painting.

The teacher says:

"That's not in the syllabus."

And another button dies.

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You were told love is sacrifice.

So you kept giving

until only your reactions were left.

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You were told success is a full plate.

Now you eat

like a soldier under attack.

Too fast,

too much,

and you’re still starving.

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You were told beauty is fairness,

or flatness,

or filtered face.

Now you spend thousands

to look like someone

you don’t even respect.

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You were told marriage is your duty.

So you married your fear.

And called it stability.

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You were told old age is decay.

So you fight your wrinkles

but never sit still.

Your blood is thinned by pills

and thickened by bitterness.

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You weren’t taught to think.

You were taught to respond.

Quick.

Emotional.

Loud.

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That’s why silence feels like failure.

You sit with a cup of tea and feel guilty.

Because it’s not a screenshot.

Not a meeting.

Not a war.

Not an achievement.

Just tea.

You’ve forgotten how to be okay with that.

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They have sold you so many cages

and called it security.

You bought insurance for your lungs,

but you’ve never breathed freely.

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There’s no breaking news in your breath.

No drama in your digestion.

No profit in your contentment.

So they ignore it.

And so do you.

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Your soul is behind seven walls

of reaction.

And they keep feeding you the key

that fits none of them.

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Every time you get offended,

a CEO smiles.

Every time you compare,

a marketing team claps.

Every time you fight your neighbor,

a tyrant rests.

You are the machine.

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But here’s the catch.

They can’t bait you

if you stop biting.

They can’t shake you

if you sit still.

They can’t sell you pride

if you’re not insecure.

They can’t sell you fear

if you’re not running.

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There is nothing in you

they can use

once you remember

you were never born for drama.

You were born to cook with patience.

To walk with your shadow.

To hold your child

without needing to post it.

To die quietly,

without hashtags.

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Pull out the buttons.

One by one.

Even if it hurts.

They don’t belong to you anymore.

And maybe never did.

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