When a woman in her thirties or forties wakes up, realizes she feels unfulfilled in a stable marriage, and decides to blow up her entire life to "find herself," society throws a parade for her. She gets a book deal, a podcast, and absolute applause. Her choice to abandon her vows in pursuit of her own personal happiness is framed as a brave, empowering, Eat Pray Love awakening.
But if a man wakes up at forty, realizes he has spent the last two decades working a soul-crushing job he hates purely to fund everyone else's lifestyle, and decides he wants to finally live for himself? He is absolutely demonized. He doesn't get a parade; he gets diagnosed with a "pathetic midlife crisis." He is labeled a selfish monster who abandoned his post
i saw a quote that said “everyone loves you when you let everything slide, but the moment you start setting boundaries and holding people accountable, you become the one that’s difficult” and that’s real shit.