Believed in capitalism pretty much without question back then. Didn't really examine it. Now I think there are some things that shouldn't be commodified - healthcare, education, housing - and I'm unsure how we fix that. It's made me angrier and sadder but more awake.

My whole perspective on parenting was theoretical until I actually had kids. All those judgments I had about other people's parenting? Gone. Turns out keeping a tiny human alive while maintaining your sanity is harder than I thought, and everyone's just doing their best.

I've done a complete 180 on whether you should stay friends with exes. Used to think it was totally possible and healthy; now I think it's usually just prolonging something that needs to end. Maybe I'm bitter, but at least I'm honest about it.

I used to think you could separate art from the artist, keep them in different boxes. But the more I learned about how money flows and who gets platforms, the more I realized that's a luxury belief. Where you spend your attention and money has consequences.

I believed in meritocracy - that the system mostly works if you're smart and dedicated. Then I watched mediocre people get promoted over talented ones repeatedly and realized how much structural advantage matters. It's uncomfortable to admit you benefited from that.

I used to believe people were mostly rational and would change their minds if presented with facts. That was naive. Now I understand that beliefs are tied to identity, community, and emotion in ways that data just can't touch.