bringing this to Reddit because I really want to know if anyone else my age (44) experiences insults from their parent(s) about IQ.

The important notes:

- my mother was a geneticist for over 30 yrs.

- has a PhD

- very science minded. For example, I call a flower a Black and Blue salvia and she just has to call it by some sciency ass name that I don’t know because I’m a regular person who highly dislikes that form of science.

- she’s very pretentious and believes she is smarter than everyone else except when she has the opportunity to play the victim.

- she’s exceptionally book and SOP smart. she is extremely lacking in emotional intelligence (although she thinks she’s great at it lol)

My challenge: Over the course of my life and my siblings who are both older, we’ve had to hear her CONSTANTLY use the phrases “what’s the average IQ?” or “sometimes I wonder about their intelligence” Nobody is safe from these statements. I’ve heard her say it about her own brother and sister, her mother, her friends and basically anyone who disagrees with her on any given topic.

Yesterday, she said it again about my sister. my sister who is extremely ill from Crohn’s disease, who’s having surgery today to put in a port so she can get fluids into her body. She had to get a ileostomy about 5 yrs ago because she nearly died. So now her body can’t support itself and we all know which road she’s traveling down now. She also finally got up the courage this past couple years to leave a very unhappy marriage so she can find some joy in her last remaining years. Which hopefully, is a lot more years. Also important to note that in high school, our jackass of a guidance counselor told her she probably wouldnt get into college because of her PSAT scores. So she’s already been made to feel stupid. My sister graduated college in 5 yrs, all while she was beginning her journey of Crohn’s. So fuk that guy for what he said to her.

Anyhoozle, my mom made the comment last night again, about my sister. I nearly slapped her up the backside of her damn head. I’ve had it. I swear if I hear her say it one more time, I will break her emotionally.

And that’s the last thing I want to do. My mom is extremely traumatized from her own upbringing so I’ve tried to navigate life with her with a lot of compassion. Emotionally, she’s at about a 15 yr old level in my opinion. I’ve tried to speak to her like an adult about this. I’ve called her out in private. I’ve tried nearly every approach my therapist has suggested. it doesn’t work.

Is anyone else experiencing this with their parents? is it possibly a generational thing? She was born in 1950 in case that matters.

I don’t want to let all my own baggage to explode towards her. but this has to change. I already know deep down, she feels inadequate. I know she lacks confidence. I know she thinks she’ll never be “smart enough”. I don’t want to make the situation any worse than it is. But she needs to grow up.

If anyone here has a similar experience, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Any other suggestions would be great. Also, please don’t bash my mom lol As angry as I am, she has lots of good points too.

And as a side note….its extremely annoying that as I type this, I keep getting little pop up under my draft that is asking

• Are you posting yet another "I'm old" thread? Consider changing the language so you aren't! These "I'm old" threads are getting old and are highly reported by the community then removed for breaking Rule 2. Read the rules of here.

I know it’s generic but I’ve never posted in this community. And whoooooo is reporting people for being “old”? If this gets removed because I broke some ridiculous rule about being old, so be it. just means I won’t come back to this page because how ridiculous.

As a 90s kid, I have fond memories of watching several different movies from animated to family films. One thing I always looked forward to and nearly forgotten about was the ending. Not the credits, the bloopers. Now as a father of 2 young boys, I realize these new films lack bloopers. Watching Toy Story 2 tonight made me realize how truly blessed we were as kids to experience such awesomeness. Truly the embodiment of "the cherry on top" to cap off a movie. We need change. We are leaving too much on the table.

Peace yall✌️

I’m now learning that I might have ADHD. I’m like “yeah, duh” my sister, is almost 40, and she’s been diagnosed for 20+ years. For me, this is huge. I can understand a bit about me. The thing is, I don’t think it’s abnormal. I think I’m pretty typical.

We are the only generation that texts with perfect spelling and grammar, back when schools still taught grammar and we had weekly spelling tests, but every other sentence either ends in lol or haha. I can just image me texting at 80 years old and still using lol and haha when no one else knows wtf that means anymore.

The other day I swore I saw a post about Columbine, and I meant to share. I grew up just down the road, and was in 8th grade at O’Connell Middle School when it happened. I don’t have the energy to relive what it was like other than to saw it was “life changing” I remember there being tributes on the radio to those affected, and a local band actually got some airplay for this:

https://youtu.be/gQhdL2NVJ24?is=PS2QyfbsQ4vMfnFw

It still lives rent free in my head, and brings a tear.

Side note: years after, my now wife and I moved to State College for grad school, and the first time I heard “We Are…” being chanted in the streets, I thought “COLUMBINE!” IYKYK

A song popped on my playlist today, Hooked on A Feeling by Blue Swede and Björn Skifs. It immediately reminded me of the scene in Ally McBeal where she's dancing with the baby gif. Why are some shows like Seinfeld, Friends, The Office considered nostalgic and get a ton of people rewatching but not a show like Ally McBeal?

I work at a college, which is of course full of teenagers. I'm really surprised at the kind of music teenagers listen to. Most students on our courses listen to a mixture of very old stuff and more surprisingly are really into early 2000s bands like Lincoln Park, Sum 41 etc. The kind of music you'd get in movies like American Pie.

It got me thinking. Generations and decades have their musical genres that define them. Pop, Punk, New Romantic, Britpop, Ibiza Dance etc. Has anyone post millennial actually defined their own new mainstream musical genres? The closest I can think of is K-Pop, but maybe I'm just out of touch.

And why is it only 1 pair?

I was diagnosed with scoliosis in middle school, did PT, and when it got better I never went back. It’s easy to neglect your health in your 20s.

Now in my 30s, with actual health insurance, I decided to go see a “professional”

It was so crazy. He even did the neck thing where he tilts your neck and it goes CRRRRACK. He said my back was very locked up, and to come back in 2 days.

Edit: I am aware that they are not medical doctors. They referred to him as doctor. I should go back to PT instead. I just wanted to try it.

Edit: I will never do the neck adjustment again. Thank u all.

Edit: why is chiro legal if there’s no real benefit and it can cause so many problems? That’s scary!

Remember when smoking weed was taboo? When it was cool to smoke weed? When some people made it their whole personality? Have you noticed that still being a thing with the younger generations? I haven't noticed any of that but I also don't interact with kids.

I feel like I am not the only millennial who watched Kung Fury when it came out and said the same thing. Masterpiece.

To me at least, it seems like gen z is becoming the main target. At the very least, Youtube seems to think I'm 5-10 years younger than I am.

Does anyone else feel like that maybe if they had made one single decision then their life would be a certain perception of they would “want” rather than what they’re currently living?

But even deeper… sometimes I feel like I’m not living my true life. Literally like the matrix. As if I believe my “break” or “escape” is just around the corner.

Born in ‘85. No clue if this is some symptom of our era or whatever… but damn if I don’t feel like I was robbed of something. And shit, that doesn’t include my origin story, the fact I was born in the US, etc all the other privileged nomenclature we have.

Honestly, I feel a little lost.

EDIT: Just want to say thanks to everyone for sharing part of your story and perspective on this. Good and bad. It helps make the world feel a little less lonely. I appreciate you all!

I liked swimming, arts & crafts, and music. I went to a day camp for many years before having my 1st job there.

I’ve been on them for 6 years now. I recently added Lithium Oratate as a supplement. It greatly helps my mood, memory, and sleep.

I also did therapy for 5 years and tbh it didn’t do much for me.

It sucks that I will need meds forever. But without the help, my mental state goes straight to hell. I become catatonic and cannot leave my bed. I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression, used to have panic disorder and psychosis at one point too. The psychosis went away when I stopped using cannabis.

How do you cope? What has worked?

38 now. Was very straight laced while young and was sheltered with strict parents. I didn't go to prom or date anybody. I studied and got good grades. Had a few friends. Didn't really party or do anything crazy throughout high school and even college. I wish I had some memories from that time period but it was pretty boring. I wish I hooked up, did some drugs or partied. (At least hooked up). Maybe I'm watching too much euphoria. This sounds really dumb but I wish my school experience was like those teen rom coms from the 1990s/2000's (my favorite ones were she's all that and 10 things I hate about you).

**Original video:** https://youtu.be/3HjIljJd-o0?is=ssxldKyg448ShxmH

30 years ago today (July 22, 1996), The Daily Show premiered on Comedy Central, originally hosted by Craig Kilborn.

What's the first Daily Show moment that comes to mind for you? Was it the post-9/11 return, election coverage, a favorite correspondent, or something else that made the show memorable?