PawsAndProgress [none/use name]

Dying from allergies & asthma.

While still living, the tribe could deploy me as an animal detector: place me at the front of hunting parties, and the moment I start sneezing & wheezing, they know they’ve got prey nearby.

Be curious and keep learning. Doesn’t matter what you study.

Don’t allow yourself to believe age or experience makes you superior to others. Seems like that might be a generational mindset, but purposely avoid it.

I worked with people at Disney World for an internship who had been in the same position I was for 30+ years. They were happy with this, but it terrified me; I did not want to be a fast food or retail worker for my whole life.

I’d be concerned that she’s been conditioned to believe such things in her home life as normal. No joke, congrats to you for recognizing the abuse you’re going through. It’s tough to spot and name it, let alone talk about it to others. Great first steps on your part. For your friend, it sounds like she’s going through or has gone through something.

I’d suggest talking with a trusted adult, any trusted adult about this. They’re going to give you better perspective and, more importantly, assistance with your situation, which is absolutely not ok.

For your friend, I can think of 2 responses:

1. Ask her if she’s been abused and conditioned to think that abuse is ok. Tell her that abuse isn’t ok, and that if she’s been abused, she needs to talk to someone about that, like a trusted authority figure.
2. If this is a “debate me, bro” situation, there are endless resources that prove that victims of abuse are, indeed, victims. In other words, abuse doesn’t strengthen anyone in the relationship; it weakens the victim through abuse and trauma. You can find all sorts of studies on any angle you’d like to pursue.