Saw a girl brushing her face. Not her hair — her face.

I closed Instagram.

Then opened it again.

She wasn’t the only one doing it.

So I ran down the rabbit hole — to be honest, I didn’t even have to. The algorithm did it for me.

I found the source.

The one who started it.

Hailey Bieber.

And it’s not the first time she’s done it.

Brushing Your Personality Away With the Comb

The “IT girl.”

The Hailey Bieber effect. The Adriana Lima effect. The Angelina Jolie effect.

Aren’t you tired already?

It’s almost like women are handed a book on how they should look, act, and exist.

You can’t escape it by becoming a monk or a nun — there are beauty standards for every single one of us.

You’re giving birth? Cool. Look good enough in the pictures.

Don’t even think about laughing at your own proposal. You have to look girly, cute, and postable.

The history changed. Eras came and went. But one thing stayed exactly the same — society constantly telling women they’re not enough to exist as they are.

You started with the girls in the magazines. Then you were chasing the hair from the music videos. Now you’re rewatching a stranger’s morning routine for the seventeenth time this week.

The difference isn’t the copying. It’s the intimacy.

It feels like a choice — because you chose to follow her. It doesn’t feel systematic because nobody forced you. No gun to your head. Not a secret contract. No rules.

You did it yourself.

And that’s exactly why celebrities post, “Please stop copying me and love yourself” — after watching a fan tattoo their entire personality onto their chest.

The only difference between you and a brainwashed housewife in the 1950s?

She had a direction.

We have new trends every 48 hours and not a single woman who can say — genuinely, without pausing — “I feel pretty all the time.”

Because we live inside a system that was never built to let you.

Bring Back The Era Where I Thought I’m Emo

It’s 2016. Maybe 2017.

I had just discovered the visual side of the internet.

Lana Del Rey. Avril Lavigne. And many more.

It felt like they were gems — and we just happened to live inside their worlds.

I don’t know exactly when it started, but I found myself searching YouTube for “how to tie a tie” — because Avril looked cool when she did it.

And when I told my classmate I was emo, I genuinely believed it.

“I have a cool haircut,” I said.

Girl. If there was anything emo about that hairstyle, I’m changing my name.

Picture taken. Hair in a ponytail. Doing the lip thing.

I thought I looked like Ariana Grande.

I actually sent that picture to my friend. She said I looked cuter.

I’m going to need a moment.

I deleted Snapchat years ago. But it didn’t matter.

“You, 5 years ago” — and there I am. Trying to look edgy. Succeeding at nothing.

Oh my God.

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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Why We Were Happy When Things Were Cringy

The imitation we did back then and what’s happening now are living on two completely different planets.

Think about it.

What we copied felt cooler. Maybe richer. That was the whole point — and that was it.

Now? The girl taking a picture with a celebrity isn’t thinking about the celebrity.

She’s thinking about the brand deal.

The “fans” getting their merchandise signed aren’t fans. They’re flipping it on eBay before the ink dries off.

The 90s and 2000s kids were copying without even knowing why. There was something almost innocent about it — embarrassing, yes, but innocent.

What’s happening now is different.

And the algorithm shares the guilt.

Promoting something is not neutral. Recommending hate, insecurity, and consumption as a lifestyle is not a technical glitch — it’s a business model.

Substack gave platforms to people who belong in courtrooms, not comment sections. And they’re not alone.

So the question was never why girls copy Hailey Bieber.

The real question is — who’s profiting from the fact that you don’t feel good enough?

The brand deals. The luxury lifestyle. The “cool” image. It’s a whole set. A constructed one.

The algorithm rewards imitation because imitation drives consumption. And consumption is the whole industry.

You’re not just copying someone’s aesthetic. You’re being pushed into a mindset where buying things is the only language your insecurity understands.

People weren’t happier before just because there was no internet.

They were happier because they weren’t being compared — in real time, every single day — to hundreds of people living ten levels above them.

And now even that standard keeps moving.

Because fame got cheap.

Not easier — cheap. There’s a difference.

When making it on television required something real, people respected what was on television. Now you can pay to be on a show. You can buy followers. You can buy popularity and relevance.

So effort stopped feeling worth it.

And everything — careers, relationships, identities — started feeling like something you should be able to get right now.

That’s not just an internet problem.

That’s us, slowly forgetting what things are supposed to cost.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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We Lost Ourselves While Looking For A Guide

Being a kid means you need a role model.

Maybe it’s your older sister — she’s got her own car, her own money, and you think that’s the coolest thing a human being can achieve. Maybe it’s your dad, doing a job that looked fascinating from the outside and turned out to be neither cool nor easy. But you didn’t know that yet.

Being a kid means you want guidance.

And that need doesn’t disappear quietly. The hand reaches out for the first thing in motion — and grabs whatever it finds first.

Sometimes it’s the guy on the internet who felt familiar. The girl whose makeup tutorials felt edgy and alive. But somewhere in all that reaching, you missed a chapter.

You lost yourself while looking for yourself in the crowd.

The girl you wanted to look like had something you didn’t, right? The guy with more friends, the cooler haircut, the effortless everything. What you didn’t know — what nobody tells you — is that they were looking at someone else too.

I’m not saying this to make you feel better.

I mean it literally.

“I wish I was as pretty as you.”

A classmate told me this once. Not a close friend. Not someone I even knew was paying attention. Just a girl I hadn’t noticed — who had apparently been noticing me.

And she missed one thing.

She was pretty too.

So I told her that.

Every single person you know — yes, the prettiest, the richest, the ones whose lives look assembled perfectly from the outside — had someone they wanted to be like. Someone they measured themselves against.

There is no level you reach where it stops.

No moment where you think — I’m Ken from Barbie now. Nothing can touch me.

That’s a movie. It doesn’t work like that here.

The girls who copied everything from head to toe are still copying. Still living inside someone else’s plot. Not sure what they actually like. Not sure what they actually find funny — so they check the comments first. If everyone laughed, it must be funny.

Right?

And the guy who’s supposed to be enjoying his life but can’t figure out why he’s miserable — it’s because he’s chasing what’s popular, not what’s his.

Your family shaped you. Your school shaped you. Your friend group shaped you. The group chat shaped you.

And you won’t admit it.

If a hobby stays locked inside your head because nobody in the group chat likes it — you’re not following your dreams. You’re following a syllabus.

That’s not living. That’s just mirroring.

Matchas and Labubus followed me everywhere.

I couldn’t care less.

What Was The Last Time…

If you read until here — thank you.

Now answer this honestly.

When was the last time you did something you genuinely liked — something nobody taught you to do, nobody was watching, nobody would ever repost?

They need you not to know what you actually like.

A person who knows what she likes is very hard to sell to.

Did this resonate or did it challenge you?

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If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

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Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

This time, we’re in conversation with RG, author of RGagandeep.

RG writes about the quiet interior of being human — the parts most people polish before showing anyone. She doesn’t. That’s why I wanted to talk to her.

What’s it really like inside the world of honesty?

Let’s dive in.

In Her Own Words

This time I made an exception — no audio, just her words on the page. Let the thinking begin.

1. Your writing consistently finds the angle everyone else walks past. Is that how your mind works in daily life too — or is it something that only activates when you sit down to write?

I’m like this most of the time. I naturally notice small details in people, their behavior, the environment, and even clothes. I tend to overthink, and that actually helps me understand people better. I also remember a lot of what I observe, and that feeds into my writing. Especially emotional moments — I don’t just notice them, I experience them deeply in the moment, and that’s what helps me write about emotions in a more honest and layered way.

The ones who notice everything are never really off duty. They just look like they are.

2. You wrote about people changing. Are you the type who looks back every year and cringes at who you were — or do you feel like the core of you has stayed pretty consistent?

Two years ago, I was a very different person. I used to suppress my feelings, constantly try to make everyone happy, and ignore my own self-worth without even realizing it. Now I’m not that person anymore. I value myself, my life, and my opinions much more. It feels like I’ve come back to who I naturally am—more bold, clear, and grounded—but earlier I just didn’t set boundaries. I used to trust easily and give too much, but now I’ve realized it’s important to act according to what feels right for you instead of changing for others.

3. I’ve always felt like the people with the most depth are usually the quietest ones in the room. Do you think that’s true — or is that just a story we tell ourselves about introverts?

I don’t think quietness automatically means more depth. People aren’t born quiet — they become quiet based on how life shapes them over time. Everyone has depth and emotion in different ways. Some express it loudly, some keep it inside. People also aren’t fixed on one label—introverts can be very open and expressive with the right people they trust. And more than introversion or extroversion, I feel people who overthink experience emotions more intensely. They feel everything more deeply because they tend to stay with one feeling longer than others do.

She pushed back on my assumption and she was right to do so. That’s the answer I didn’t expect — which made it the most interesting one.

4. Which piece of yours is your personal favorite — and what do you think made it different from everything else you’ve written?

I remember I wrote a post on Medium about saying “no,” and it was the first one that got more than 1000 likes. It was about how people slowly lose themselves by always agreeing in conversations, even in small things, until their own opinion starts to disappear. Over time, people start taking you for granted. Then one day when you finally say “no,” the same people suddenly find you difficult or arrogant. But I still believe it’s important to say no when needed. It’s a small word, but if you never use it, you can become hollow from the inside.

5. You wrote about how we don’t value things until they’re gone. Did that piece come from observation — or was there a specific moment that made you need to write it?

I’ve always valued people who love me and never really taken relationships for granted. But in that process, I forgot to value myself. I kept prioritizing others, and somewhere along the way, I started taking my own life and well-being for granted. That’s why I believe it’s important to value people, opportunities, and life — but without losing yourself.

Valuing everyone except yourself. The most common trap nobody warns you about.

6. You posted this note once: “I’m present, just quiet. Reading everything, replying to nothing. I wish I knew why. Don’t be upset with me.” I saved that one mentally. What do you actually do on those days — do you wait it out or is there something that pulls you back?

That was actually a very difficult phase in my life. I felt lost and didn’t really know what my life was for. Everything looked fine externally—financially, spiritually—but internally I felt empty. I didn’t talk to anyone about it either. I wanted to write, but I couldn’t. I think my expectations were very high, and when I saw no results, it drained me. I still don’t fully understand that phase, but I think it taught me something important — accepting life as it is might be the best way to deal with reality.

7. What would you tell someone who wants to write about life the way you do — honestly, rawly, without softening the edges?

You’d have to live a life like mine, which I would never want anyone to go through.

Jokes apart, I think anyone can write. It usually starts from a place where you feel broken inside. At some point, everyone feels tired or frustrated, and it feels like no one understands you. That’s when writing begins. You write, you release, you move on — and then the real journey of writing actually starts.

The best writing advice I’ve ever received came disguised as a joke. And then it wasn’t.

✦ Explore More ✦

You can find RG’s work here:

If this conversation made you think — good.

If it made you feel less alone in something — even better.

Support the work that creates space for honest conversations.

Endnotes

Some conversations are meant to be heard, not just read.

If this one stayed with you — you already know why.

More soon.

See you in the next conversation.

— Zəhra 🐾

Listening to former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s speech — marking the parts we’ll translate and broadcast.

“We don’t need this part,” said my editor in chief.

I was confused.

— What do you mean? This is what he said. We can’t just cut it.

“It’s alright.”

— If we get into trouble for this, it’s on you.

The imaginary ball in my brain just blew up.

The laugh. The “don’t worry.” Neither helped.

Did I add anything on my own? No. Did I mislead the audience? Also no.

But I wasn’t fully honest.

And that bothered me. A lot.

MJ But Make It Realistic

“Wow, you’re like MJ from Spider-Man,” someone told me once when I mentioned I’m a journalist.

Another put distance. One thought it was cool. “Just like in the movies” — the response I get more than I’d like to admit.

People think being a journalist means doing the labor of a detective, a judge, and a politician. All at once. For free.

“I have this issue with the police, but I can’t go to their court,” my dad said once. Apparently, a guy at his work asked if I could help — since I’m a journalist.

The number of times I’ve heard a version of this? Crazy.

Here’s what a journalist actually is: someone who becomes the voice you don’t have and shows you what’s happening behind the scenes. That’s it. There’s a variety of fields even within the same field — economics, investigative reporting, politics, foreign news, analysis. The list goes on longer than your grocery list this week.

Making changes — applying them or not — is not our job.

I’ll repeat that.

A journalist doesn’t owe you the political changes you couldn’t get from your local politicians.

“These people don’t even do anything.”

We hear you, Jacob. While you’re on your couch eating ice cream, we — aka the ones who “don’t do anything” — are reporting the news you later get to watch and judge us for.

You’re welcome.

How This Really Works— What You Don’t See

Translation isn’t just merging words in a bubble. It’s picking them intentionally. Sometimes twisting the meaning. Removing parts. Not translating at all. Or quietly changing what a phrase was supposed to mean in the first place.

This is what translation in journalism actually is.

There’s a significant difference between how nations consume news — not only in what they read, but in how it’s written for them.

“Lover kills his crush after she refuses to go on a date with him.”

“Woman killed in California after she rejected a date from a guy.”

Two sentences. Same event. Journalists and writers see the difference immediately.

Politics doesn’t end behind the podium. It lives in the drinks you consume, the places you visit, the shows you binge-watch every weekend, the brands that feel “normal” in your area. All of it is political. All of it is the result of decisions made behind doors you’re not allowed through.

“But you are.” Not really.

The press conferences, the public statements, the carefully timed appearances — that’s paint on a wall with a crack spreading underneath. Real decisions are made without you. That’s why you only wake up when they’ve already affected you.

That’s why when translation turns irony into a compliment, a mocking into praise, a warning into nothing — you don’t notice. Because you were never meant to.

Which brings me to Orwell. Not because it’s clever to quote him. Because he already said it better than I can:

This is the kind of thinking I don’t post everywhere.

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When To Listen

Look at the translator in this exact moment.

Watch what they do.

Nothing.

Now guess which phrase they chose not to translate.

“He knows rigged elections better than anybody.”

A classic power move. The “we both know what you’re up to” — the kind of line almost every US president and authoritarian state leader mentions at least once. Wrapped in a smile. Said to a face that’s nodding along.

The real translation here is the silence itself.

Because the reality doesn’t need words. It’s already documented.

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The Slap Came Across My Face

That laugh wasn’t personal.

It was systematic.

You laugh when someone is too innocent to still be there. That’s what it was — a cold splash of water you weren’t expecting in the shower. The silent slap of “this is the mud you’ll be walking around in now.”

Now you see how it works.

Who decides what gets cut, what gets broadcast, what gets deleted. These aren’t careless decisions. They’re made intentionally — usually by whoever owns the media organization, or whoever owns the people who do.

The ethical weight, though? That’s where it gets complicated.

Everyone needs someone to blame. Like what happened with the BBC — resignations, one after another, each person pointing somewhere else. But here’s the thing about this chain: the editor shaping what gets published, the translator choosing the words, the reporter writing it down, the person hitting publish — we’re all holding the same table.

Pull one person out and the whole thing falls.

That’s journalism. It has always been a team job. Every piece of news you’ve ever read had a full team behind it.

And it was always intentional.

Which is why this line from İskender Büyük — a power figure from the Turkish series Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu — has never left me:

“Every single person, even the most useless-looking ones, are picked intentionally in media. None of them are accidentally there.”

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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What You’ll Never Get To Read

The words that don’t get translated are usually the ones that matter most.

Every time you read something, just know — it was already approved for your eyes. Nothing reaches you by accident. Even the criticism, because criticism still makes people talk about you nonstop.

Is there a bigger marketing strategy than that? I’m afraid not.

Every time a world leader opens his mouth, there’s already a script. He can’t step outside it. And if you ever see a government-tied media outlet suddenly act out of character — just know someone told them to.

You know what you’re allowed to know.

The banned books. The films you can’t watch. The libraries burned before we were even born. The experiments, the wars, the real-life scenarios that went to the grave with the people who witnessed them.

None of it was an accident.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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And the ones trying to plant something in dead soil?

That person is probably younger than you think. Underpaid. And was told “don’t worry” when they pushed back against a system that feeds off the noise it creates.

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

My editor. Said to me. On my food break.

Another editor told a coworker about to faint from exhaustion — not a reporter, not just an editor, just someone trying to survive the shift — “don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

She was not fine.

Neither was the system I was working inside of.

Ladies and gentlemen — this is everything television would have censored me for saying out loud.

Except I don’t work there anymore. 🥰

They’re Lying To You

What I walked in believing was not this.

News anchors picked purely based on looks. “Is this a modeling agency or a news institution?” I asked myself.

And do I even need to mention — hijabi girls don’t stand a chance. Even if they’re built like Mona Lisa.

The version of journalism I had in my head was honest. It was supposed to help people. Not hang up on their faces. Not dig into their family wounds. Not turn their pain into a tonight's show for a YouTube channel.

The journalism I know wouldn’t have people saying, “Yes, the death toll’s getting bigger — we’re going viral tonight.”

The journalism I saw took every bit of humanity I had left for this field.

It was supposed to be a school.

Looks like I was in the wrong class.

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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Censor Everything Like It’s a Tag

“We can’t report on Russia for a while.”

We heard that almost daily.

One day I’m bashing Iran. The next, we’re siding with Ukraine. And somewhere in between, I’m writing about Gaza.

Humanity in journalism — especially in TV — depends on trends. As long as your pain is aesthetic, you’ll be talked about.

The anchors were just trying to survive the day without gaining a new insecurity. I’m not even joking. The woman next to me got at least two nose jobs just to keep her job.

“You need to look pretty 24/7” does that to a person. Especially when you’ve got a family to feed.

And then there was the guy who was supposed to be a reporter. Nobody dared to ask it out loud, but everyone was thinking it — “You’re not even working. Why are you still here?”

Classic. He knew a guy that knew another guy.

“Cut this. Add that. Delete it.”

That’s the soundtrack of a TV newsroom. One mistake and you’re done. And the censorship — did I mention the censorship? Yes. It deserves mentioning twice.

Some people will do anything to stay. Families breaking from irregular hours. Colleagues smiling to your face. The ones who said they liked you the most? They’re the ones filing the complaint that gets you fired.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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If TV were a genre, it’d be horror.

Not the loud kind. The kind where you can see the door but you stay anyway — because you’ve convinced yourself you’re different. Resilient, as they called it. Resilient meaning: unpaid labor. Tasks that have nothing to do with your job. Smiling through it anyway.

“But was there anything you actually liked?”

Yes.

The prestige. The access. The way doors opened that stayed shut for everyone else. People looked at us like we were detectives — like our lives were Scooby-Doo episodes. Except we didn’t find the traps as easily as Scooby did. Lowkey jealous about that, honestly.

Journalism is a museum. You walk in and you either become the visitor or the monument.

Taking the veil off the statues takes courage.

And courage — as I learned — is not particularly appreciated in this field.

Write, Write, Write

“Can you write faster? There are too many updates, oh my God, what is this—”

I was writing while everyone else was home for New Year’s Eve.

We were treated like we’d been given a holy mission that couldn’t be broken. I thought holidays meant less news.

News flash: bombs everywhere. Terror attacks. Plane crashes. War updates.

The world basically said, “Girl, you aren’t going anywhere. Write it down.”

Sounds dramatic when I say it out loud. But you wouldn’t last a day in this cycle — sorry to break your hope.

Skipping food breaks. People gossiping behind your back even if you’re the quietest person in the room. And before you say “gossiping is a woman thing” — the men were worse. They didn’t just talk. They shared our privacy with other channels. Some people fed off the chaos so much they kept stirring it even after they resigned.

“Are you okay?” I asked a crying colleague once.

We’d both just started. She left on day two. She saw it early.

I stayed.

It cost me a lot.

Don’t even think about asking for your rights.

“Aren’t you a writer? Journalism is hard. Didn’t they tell you that at university?”

Said the guy who never finished university himself.

They made us grateful for breadcrumbs. Two weeks of vacation leave you could barely enjoy — because some people weren’t even allowed to take theirs when they wanted to.

“I’ll find myself another reporter. You’re so childish,” said my editor.

Childish. Because I refused to accept a decision they made about me without my presence or my agreement.

“We decided this would be better for you.”

Who are you, lol.

If you take one thing from this article — never accept that sentence. Not once. Because the moment you do, you’ll find yourself working while everyone who complained gets to stay home.

Don’t be the over-sacrificing one.

It will drain you down to the ocean.

Rule No.1: Trust No One

“Don’t trust anyone. Especially the overly kind ones.”

The empaths of the office are community monsters. They’ll gossip about X with you, and gossip about you with Y. Same breath. Same smile. Even the same day.

If I had to leave a warning list for anyone thinking about working in TV:

Don’t work beyond what you’re paid for.

It’s not cute. It’s not admirable. It’s not noticed.

The moment you show you’re always available, they’ll make sure you always are — even when you’re not supposed to be.

Your worth is not tied to any workplace.

Talent alone doesn’t get you far here. Most of the time, in order to get somewhere in journalism, you need connections. Big ones. Just to get hired. And if you don’t have those — you perform.

“I listened to your speech. Very inspirational,” someone said in a meeting once.

I never respected anyone based on their social status. Apparently that was my problem.

The gap between what journalism schools sell you, what courses promise you, what inspirational media stories advertise — and what an actual newsroom looks like?

That gap is more obvious than your boyfriend’s hairline. I’m sorry. 😔

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Why I Left

3 years.

I spent 3 years working there and never once felt like I belonged. I kept lying to myself. Maybe it’s too early. Maybe I just need more time. Maybe it’s this, maybe it’s that.

And then I looked up and the 3 years were just — done.

Imagine spending 3 years inside a system built entirely on performance. As an honest person. Dutch people could never. 😭

Here’s what I’ll leave you with.

When the drink doesn’t fit the glass, you don’t change the drink. You change the cup.

You don’t attack yourself for not fitting into a system you were never built for.

It’s never too late to make the right move.

Just make sure you have a backup plan — especially if you’re living alone and don’t have a roof secured over your head. Because the things I’m telling you aren’t as easy to act on as they sound. Consequences are real.

I was never scared of the camera.

For anyone thinking that’s why I left — I’m not scared of tribunals either. I did public speaking more than once.

The thing is, the camera was always rolling.

And I was always honest.

Which is exactly when they turn it off.

If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

Posted on Instagram. 1,000 likes. 400 comments. 150 restacks. Saved under a highlight called “me” — by a 25-year-old named Sarah.

Sarah isn’t aware of one thing.

The world isn’t good for some people. And what she has isn’t life being good — it’s the privilege of being born in a land where there’s no war, no conflict. Just “my makeup is ruined.”

Yeah. That’s her biggest idea of a downfall.

Someone commented:

“Sarah, we love you — but can you please post something about Sudan? We need your help. You’re famous.”

Sarah reads it. Picks her nose. Pretends she didn’t see a thing.

Her manager calls. “These comments affect our reputation.”

So they find a solution.

One blurry picture of a child in Sudan. A broken heart emoji. And the next 20 stories? Milan. Taylor Swift concert. Front row.

Sarah has no shame.

Neither does the rest of the world.

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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Weather Is Always Dark For Some People

I once had a conversation with someone.

He was complaining about the weather in Germany. How it always sucks. How it gets to him.

I said one sentence that made him go quiet:

“I wish I lived in a country where my only concern was the weather being dull too.”

Here’s my theory.

Someone who never had to touch the fire doesn’t understand what it means to live without it.

When your electricity works. When your passport opens doors to the entire world. When your currency is stable and doesn’t touch your lifestyle. When your government isn’t deciding what you can wear, do, or what you’re allowed to say out loud —

You get to call for peace.

I’d call for peace too, if my country didn’t share borders with two neighbors both currently at war.

The weather gets people depressed. Yes. That’s real.

But there are children with bigger things to deal with than depression.

Like surviving.

Like watching someone take profit off their land — and then call them immigrants. And then want them gone. From land that was built with resources stolen from theirs.

Everyone loves diamonds. But the road to your favorite jewelry passes through someone risking their entire existence to mine it.

I watched a video once.

An American soldier. A child standing in front of him.

“Why did you kill my dad? He didn’t do anything.”

That soldier will go home. He’ll be called a hero. He’ll fall into depression, and people will say it’s a tragedy.

The child probably won’t make it to ten.

It’s easy to type “don’t start a war you can’t finish” while sipping coffee in Vienna, deciding what to wear tomorrow.

Smile For The Picture

“Did you guys share it? Come on, we have over 50 pics to drop for the new album.”

Bio reads: young singer. #1 on Billboard. Record breaker.

One day, Adam woke up disgusted. Too many comments. Too many DMs. Too many reminders that the world doesn’t revolve around him and his music.

So he does what everyone does.

A selfie with a fan. A liked comment. A shared DM.

“My heart beats with Gaza.”

No, Adam.

Your heart beats with money.

Adam has a concert in Israel next month.

And when the backlash comes — because it always comes — he has the line ready:

“Guys, I’m not a politician. I make music. It’s for everyone.”

He loses millions overnight. Not just followers. He loses whatever was left of his personality along with the people who walked out.

So he posts a photo with a child from Gaza.

“Ahmed has a home to live in from now on.”

Posted like he just adopted a monkey from the zoo. How exotic of him.

Society is full of Adams.

And we keep following them.

That’s exactly where they get the audacity — to post a single story and call it humanity.

Politics Started Following You

If you think I’m done with Adam, you’re wrong.

It’s the big day. Adam’s accepting his Oscar.

“I dedicate this award to the children who are dying.”

The hall awakens. People clap. Some cry.

Like he didn’t just buy his girlfriend jewelry made in countries he wouldn’t dare to name out loud.

Whatever you do — don’t be Adam.

This is the kind of thinking I don’t post everywhere.

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“I don’t follow politics. It’s boring.”

Honey.

Politics never stopped following you.

The people who “don’t do politics” are still living inside systems built entirely by political decisions they refuse to acknowledge. Their rent prices. Their healthcare. Their job security. Their rights. Their future.

All of it — political.

Dismissing it doesn’t protect you from it. Nobody’s handing out cookies for your ignorance. It just means someone else already made the decision for you.

And that someone usually had an agenda.

I think it’s a coping mechanism, honestly.

Remember the kids at school who would rather eat grass than acknowledge anything uncomfortable happening around them? They’d yell, shout, cover their ears.

Now they post “protect your peace” quotes on Instagram.

Haven’t changed a bit.

The only difference is the aesthetic improved.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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Why Do They Leave While Some Stay

Unlike Adam and Sarah, not everyone gets to afford the luxury of staying home while the rest of the world burns.

“As an American woman” — girl, you don’t even live in Middle East.

And they went quiet.

The same people were deciding our fate when there was a war in Azerbaijan.

But we didn’t make breaking news. So I guess it didn’t count.

When most people hear the word luxury — they picture villas. Cars. A lot of money.

But wealth means nothing without security.

No safety. No peace. No stability. That money is worth exactly what it costs to throw it in the trash.

Watch what happens when war breaks out anywhere.

Millionaires leave first. Traders and influencers second.

Not because they’re cowards necessarily — because you cannot invest in a dead land.

And leaving is also a privilege.

Most people don’t get to leave that easily. Some aren’t even allowed to try.

Like the people in Gaza. In Sudan. In places you probably haven’t heard of — because they never made the breaking news cycle either.

For them, “I don’t follow politics” is not a lifestyle choice.

It’s impossible.

Because politics is actively deciding whether they live or die today. Not next election. Today.

They’re not laughing at Trump’s speeches like we do from a safe distance. Their lives depend on whatever piece of paper gets signed in whatever room they’ll never be invited into.

The children in some parts of this world don’t cry because their parents didn’t buy them the snack they wanted.

They cry because they can already see it.

The future isn’t bright.

And they understood that before they were old enough to read about it.

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Peace Costs More Than Wars Ever Did

You’re not protecting peace.

You’re ignoring it.

You’re not saving your mental health.

You’re just privileged.

You’re not depressed because of the news — you just found a cool new thing to add to your bio.

The kids aren’t saved because you posted a story on your Snapchat.

They’re still living inside the political choices you’re pretending not to see.

Here’s the part you wish you could skip.

When your neighbor’s getting robbed — you go blind.

When a woman gets killed on the street — you go mute.

When your friend faces discrimination at school — it doesn’t bother you. You don’t interfere.

You made your choice. Neutrality. Peace. Protecting your energy.

The plot twist?

The same people who gave you that power can take it away from you.

And when they do — everyone around you will say exactly what you said.

“I didn’t see that coming.”

“It doesn’t really affect me.”

“I don’t follow politics.”

Because you made a choice.

And choices cost more than words ever will.

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

And you asked your mom.

She said no multiple times.

Now you’re begging, rolling on the floor, embarrassing yourself.

She eventually pays for it.

But now you don’t want it anymore.

Life’s like chocolate.

It looks cool from the outside; the things we want are just presented to us with a golden tray.

Think about it.

You want things — maybe things you’d never even guess you’d desire years ago.

Like a lot of men my age want relationships because it’s trendy.

Or a lot of couples wanting to have kids.

Because of societal pressure and expectations.

We don’t want marriage because we’re actually ready for such a big commitment — but for the status it’ll bring.

“Someone’s wife” sounds cooler than “Michael’s situationship,” right?

So does the other stuff.

Most of the things we desire make us “cooler” to the same gender we’re competing with.

Men care about other men’s perception more than they ever did with women.

And women care for each other’s opinions, not what John 4 miles away thinks of her makeup.

We all compete with our own.

And it’s destroying us slowly.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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You Don’t Want That Ice-Cream

Here I am to break your ego a little.

“I know what I want,”

Oh really?

Why do people your age 90% want the same things?

Because you want what other men want.

And you want what other women have.

Whether it’s a “wife” model you made up in your head, or a celebrity crush that doesn’t go over than selling her body disposals through soaps,

The group chats decide on your outfit, girl. Come on.

The same group chats that’ll destroy friendships and relationships.

They’re the judges of the lives they never had to live.

You’re not alone in this, unfortunately.

This is all over us — like a sticker next to my computer right now.

We all have the same exact expectations.

Families ask us:

“When are you getting married?”

Culture decides how you should live.

The internet decides if it’s embarrassing or cool to have a partner.

ChatGPT tells you what to think.

Your favorite celebrities show you what to buy.

Pinterest shows you how to dress.

And your social circle decides whom you should be dating.

“Ew.”

They all said in union.

“Bro, she looks modest. Bring her in so she might cook for us when y’all are together.”

My turn to say “ew.”

You guys can do better than this. Really.

You didn’t choose your dreams.

You didn’t get to pick your family and location.

Society shaped it for you and then—

you ate the pill like everyone else.

You absorbed things you’d not even want, unless they were trendy.

Now you have a choice.

To choose the ending.

And it’s up to you.

Not friends.
Not the family that secretly hates you.
But you.

Yourself.

No one will pick you up from the floor unless you get up.

Believe me.

Everyone is alone at some point.

And being alone with yourself should never scare you
if you’re ready to love the girl you see in the mirror.

Don’t run from the mirrors.

They see you.

And they want you to see yourself, too.

Man I Really Wish I’d Have This

We don’t only lie about our desires.

We perform them.

I can show you dudes that pretended to be good people to impress the foreigner girls they liked.

The same guys that wanted foreigners out of their countries, by the way.

I’ve seen women who hate on other women use all the advantages freedom has brought them.

They’re all about submission — until they’re getting divorced.

Then suddenly, they remember they have rights.

Law and politics aren’t studied dramatically because we’re such thinkable beings.

They’re popular.

Movies romanticize them.

The reality of being a journalist or a lawyer isn’t as cute as you thought it was.

A guy who can cook, knit, and feed cats outside isn’t feminine.

He’s a good man.

But that’s not what you want to hear.

So it’s giving:

You’re allowed to do what you want —
as long as it matches their expectations.

Don’t ask me how I know.

Ever since I became a journalist, people’s stares tell me one thing:

“Why are you here?”

My biggest unpopular opinion is this:

Most of our desires exist only because they are seen.

Just imagine if the internet never existed.

Would you still dress the same way?

Buy the same things?

Date the same people?

Take some good pictures of yourself.

But don’t post them.

Will you still feel confident
if no one comments:

“You’re slaying”?

Now answer this honestly:

Are you actually living the life you want—
or the life that looks good to perform?

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Hold My Hand Through The Matrix

I’m here to help you.

Because I refuse to see people my age live a miserable life.

Especially when everything is still reversible.

What do you do when you can’t get out of the game?

When there’s no pause button?

We break the illusion.

You’ve already been there.

“I love drinking.”

Then why are you cursing yourself for it right now?

“Gym makes me feel alive.”

You almost got crushed under a weight a while ago.

“Makeup makes me feel confident.”

No. It just gives you quick dopamine that leaves as soon as you remove it.

Here is the take:

When a foundation is not stable, buildings fall.

You don’t drive on a road where your tire might go flat.

But you live a life with no ambition.

The scariest moment isn’t failure.

It’s getting exactly what you wished and prayed for—

and feeling nothing.

Because you never really wanted it.

That’s where the matrix breaks.

Hold my hand through this journey.

Only if you want to.

Because you can’t force someone to want things on your behalf.

And someone who’s happy with lies won’t leave the game.

They know their life is a lie.

And they don’t want it to end.

Until it does.

And there’s nothing left—

except a bunch of words.

The trees start rotting from their roots.

Always remember that.

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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Everyone Needs Someone To Blame

We all need someone to point at when something goes wrong.

But when the person deciding on things is you—

you freeze.

And that’s when the emptiness hits.

We have illusions of the desires we’re told we want.

We don’t dream of becoming a poet, a pilot, or a writer anymore.

We want it quick.

Quick fame.
Fake muscles.
Beauty shaped by surgeons.
Education without studying.

We’re not the laziest generation.

We’re the most delusional.

Without these borrowed desires, you’re left with something terrifying:

deciding what actually matters—without background noise.

Why It’s So Hard to Know What You Actually Want

In a society built on performance, you can’t win.

Why do most people perform?

Because they don’t want to be judged.

Real desires?

They’re slow.

Painfully slow.

That’s why they feel real when you achieve them.

Quick validation?

Fake chains.
Loud rewards.

They drain you before you even notice.

You just wake up one random Thursday—

feeling like garbage.

Because human souls aren’t built for constant dopamine chasing.

You can’t plant a flower and expect it to bloom overnight.

Find what you actually want—and go after it.

Find What Is Good For You, Not What Excites You

“My grandma advised me to look for a man that makes me feel safe, not excited.”

This is true.

Because “butterflies” don’t only come from happiness.

They come from danger, too.

Listen to your gut.

It already knows.

Someone you’re scared to sleep next to,
scared to bring home—

is not your person.

Look for what’s good for your soul.

Not what excites it.

Filter Your Life

Filter your life like your morning coffee.

Clarity comes through action.

Not thinking.

Start removing.

Habits.
People.
Routines.

When there’s a parasite, doctors don’t wait.

They remove it.

If something is bad for you—

it’s bad for you.

Flowers bloom after being watered.

Not watched.

You’re not a portrait.

If someone wants you in their life—

they should move toward you.

Not just look.

Leaving you this quote and a song you might enjoy as you’re reading this article.

If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

— Don’t touch it; it’s the key to our data system.

Oh.

presses the button

Ok… time for a quick rewind.

Before we press the button, you need to hear something really important.

And I’m here to take your hands away from it—
because I know you’re going to press it anyway…

There are people who can press these buttons,
run the entire archive,
insert data into your whole life—

…and then act clueless.

Like a pick-me girl trying to look helpless to her boyfriend.

Yuck.

And they have the audacity to ask—

“uh-huh, babe… what happened?”

See the similarity?

Politicians use the same tactic.

If you don’t have time to run from the crime scene—
act like the victim.

This is a technique that’s been used for centuries.

Welcome to the world, baby.

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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Your Favorite Politicians Are Pick Meishas

Yes, babe.

I said it.

Your favorite political guys?

Pick-me’s.

They act:

• innocent

• clueless

• helpless

…while holding the power to fix everything.

Weaponized “pick me” behavior is not stupidity.

It’s a performance.

And we fall for it.
Every. Single. Time.

Listen up—
my boys, my girls, and those who identify as a cactus.

Politicians use these acts to avoid responsibility for things that shape your life.

They act dumb to soften consequences
and protect their power.

How do you think Biden and Trump stayed in power?

Biden?
Not seen as a threat.

…though during his term, a lot happened.

Trump?

“I never said that.”
“Fake news.”

They repeat it so many times
even he would be shocked.

Take a look around.

You’ve been watching this for years.

None of them were innocent.

“My president could never—”

Honey.

He just did.

But you were busy talking about the latest TikTok trend.

Keep reading—

before you become one.

Who Gets To Be The Victim

Being the victim is not about reality.

It’s about politics.

Look at the countries that are called “victims.”

…and you’ll see it.

I remember arguing with a random French guy online.

He called me a colonizer.

A Frenchman.

Calling me a colonizer.

I wasn’t offended.

I was laughing.

Like—

brother…

have you ever opened a history book?

This is what happens when you eat propaganda for breakfast.

He asked me:

“Why are you supporting the islands and countries we colonized?”

And I said—

“I’ll reply when your president, dear Emmanuel Macron, leaves Africa.”

See?

You enter a country.
Kill their people.
Steal their goods.
Claim it as yours.

And you’re… not a colonizer?

Some of you need a reality check.

Badly.

So when your president says:

“Oopsies… we didn’t know there were people inside those houses built for them to live in… hihi.”

You don’t believe it.

This is not “hate your country.”

No.

Be proud of your culture.

That’s your identity.

But blindly supporting a colonizing past—

and the politics that keep it alive—

is ignorance.

And ignorance doesn’t scream.

It drags you down.

Slowly.

It Happened Right In Front Of Your Eyes

Right in front of you.

And you ignored it.

When Israel already knew about the October 6-7 attack—

they said:

“We didn’t expect them to actually do it.”

The same energy as governments pretending they don’t know
why someone “accidentally” fell off a building.

Going to the funeral of someone you ordered killed?

Diabolical.

This isn’t just politics.

Princess Diana.
Michael Jackson.

Chester Bennington.
Avicii.
Kurt Cobain.

Let me guess—

they all just “happened” to die.

Right before exposing something bigger.

Visible.

Always so damn visible.

Right in front of our faces.

And yet—

you still ignore it.

Because believing is uncomfortable.

And delusion?

Easy.

“I Didn’t Know.”

“I didn’t realize that hurt you.”

“I didn’t think it would matter.”

“I didn’t know this was serious.”

Yes, you did.

You knew exactly what you were doing.

These are not mistakes.

They are exit strategies from accountability.

My answer?

Depends.

You can:

• do what they did to you

• cut them off

• or move on and let time handle it

Allah is fair.

Even when you doubt it.

“Nothing happens to bad people.”

It does.

Believe me.

The same poison they used on others—

starts killing them.

Slowly.

None of them are happy long-term.

Especially the ones who used you as a ladder.

Don’t worry.

:)

Being Innocent Saved Me, But At What Cost

Acting like you believe a lie?

Strategic.

And I’ll admit it.

I’ve played dumb.

On purpose.

Sometimes you need to see how far people will go.

And watching them trip over their own lies?

Funniest thing on earth.

A guy from my high school era came back after 4 years.

Not months.

Years.

I didn’t ask:

“Did you miss me?”

I asked:

“You couldn’t find anyone to replace me in 4 years?”

That silence?

Oh, I felt it.

People think you’re the same person they left.

You’re not.

Life doesn’t pause for anyone.

It keeps going.

“OMG, she got engaged.”

Yes.

The girl you fumbled?

Gone.

That’s called consequences of your own actions.

People love acting confused.

Because confusion delays accountability.

Until it’s too late.

You keep delaying life—

as if you’re guaranteed another 50 years.

Live like you won’t.

If you’re not happy now—

you won’t magically be later.

Rumi said it best:

Politics Love Pick Meishas Until…

Politics loves pick-me behavior.

Until you’re no longer useful.

Then suddenly—

it’s your turn.

Funny how power works.

You act clueless to survive—

until someone more powerful replaces you.

History proves it.

They don’t get mourned the way they expect.

They get erased.

Because rage builds.

Quietly.

For years.

You can control how people interpret your actions—

for a while.

Until no one takes you seriously anymore.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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What If You’re Inside The Game?

Pay attention.

To what you consume.

What you watch.
What you hear.
Who you let in.

What if the biggest plot twist is—

you’ve been shaped by the systems you hate?

Hate is not born.

It’s planted.

No child wakes up and decides to hate.

They learn it.

Even indirectly.

“My husband’s a republican, I’m a democrat, we’re happy.”

Aw.

Let’s talk when your rights are on the line.

We’re in 2026.

And men still decide what women do with their bodies.

The same women they mock.

Let that sink in.

When Tupac said,

I felt that.

The question isn’t whether people notice.

It’s when they stop ignoring.

And who benefits while they do.

Because the most dangerous sentence in politics isn’t:

“We planned this.”

It’s:

“We had no idea.”

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

Maybe you’re in the crowd.

Maybe it’s your “mates.”

Maybe it’s just a bunch of dumb coworkers you hate so much.

But one thing is certain.

You don’t feel complete around them.

Because you don’t know how to perform.

You’re not wired to be fake.

So you’re trying to fit into this world, thinking your heart will get you into the life.

The truth is this life’s made for performers.

In career, education, love… and everything.

The world doesn’t like honesty.

And you made the mistake of being honest around your own mind.

Now you’re stuck in between
—picking your own path
vs.
—going with the crowd.

I’m sorry, I don’t dare to pick the crowd.

And I don’t regret being alone in situations where I could have 20 people around me, agreeing with everything I say.

“You’re prettier without the hijab. You could get so many dudes.“

Yeah.

That’s the point.

I don’t want “so many.”

My idea of “being together“ is not liking posts on Instagram.

or going on dates every day.

Someone bringing me a bouquet of flowers every day wouldn’t make me happy
if I felt alone even when we were sitting together.

Loyalty isn’t only physical; it’s verbal too.

Someone who can’t stand up for themselves
can’t do it for me either.

I admire brave people.

Those are the happiest people,
even if underlooked by society.

Because they live for themselves,
not other people.

I started out this path on my own.

And the only one I’m taking to the grave is me.

Not the girls who looked down on me.

Not the boys who made fun of me in middle school.

Not the strangers that stare at me in public.

It’s me, myself, and I.

Because I never betrayed myself.

My Eyes See The World And It’s Not Bright

My eyes…
the eyes that have gotten compliments on their color and shape—

They see the world deeply.

Unfortunately.

And once you see things,
you can’t ignore them.

You can’t just turn it off like a switch and move on.

My eyes see and feel things
as if I were sent to this world
to teach people empathy.

Being observant is not about noticing only.
It’s about seeing the things people are trying so hard to hide.

The pick-me guys
who are just trying to be loved
and doing everything to achieve it.

The girls living up to the male gaze
because they grew up watching their mother starve for affection.

The kids hesitant even to look at strangers
because their parents are watching
their every single move.

This is not intelligence.

Nor overthinking.

It’s pattern recognition.

Micro-behaviors.
Inconsistencies.
Tone shifts.
Silences.

And once you see it…

you can’t unsee it.

That’s where the distance begins.

Why am I doing all this?

Hello.

I’m a middle child.

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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I Understand Everyone And That’s My Problem

I understand everyone.

And that’s what’s killing me.

Even when I’m not trying.

I used to be the type of girl who’d see Stalin
and try to convince him to be a good person.

Someone would stab me,
and I’d think,

“Maybe they had a reason.”

…

I used to.

But not anymore.

I got wise.

Being overly empathetic sounds cool in your mind.

Reality?

It’s bitter.

People don’t appreciate it.

We never did.

“She’d not get offended.”
“She trusts me.”
“She wouldn’t even notice.”

And I did.

Every.
Single.
One.

Not because I’m two steps ahead.

But because being overly empathetic
has its advantages too.

I’ve been friends with any possible person
with any ideology.

And I got to see one thing clearly:

Human nature is the same.
Our emotions are the same.
The expression is what differs.

And another thing—

Most people aren’t comfortable
with being observed.

I’ve seen this so many times.

“You know me better than my mom does.”

When I asked them if they’re scared of me,

they said yes.

Chill.

I’m not secretly a mafia boss.

I’m just observant.

And nothing scares people more than being watched.
Especially when they’re trying to hide.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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Did I Lose Or Did I Save Myself?

It’s not that I have “no friends.”

I do.

A lot, actually.

But I’d consider them allies.

Like-minded individuals.

Because my theory is this:

Deep down, we don’t have friends.

You do?

Show me your friend,
and I’ll tell you who you are.

I remember arguing with a random guy online over politics.

Multiple times.

This guy’s wingman was there too.

Apparently “protecting his friend.”

Reality?

He was just trying to loosen the competition.

Then he slid into my DMs:

“I side with you; let’s be friends.”

Before you roll your eyes like my grandma—

don’t worry.

I didn’t.

Someone who can’t be loyal to his own friend
won’t be loyal to me.

And a man who can’t stand his ground?

Lower than anything in my eyes.

Did I lose myself looking for the patterns?

Or did the patterns save me?

Both.

Now my reality is this:

I can’t have…
nor stand…
surface-level connections.

Groups?

Stopped making those years ago.

The more I see the patterns,

the more conversations feel like

déjà vu.

I stopped asking questions
I already know the answers to.

I stopped explaining myself
in rooms where silence works better.

I stopped fighting
for people who wouldn’t lift a finger
if I died tomorrow.

And people feel this.

I’ve noticed the shift.

Even in my own family.

They don’t fight my thoughts anymore.

Because they know—

the only one who can convince me… is me.

Always been the girl
who picks up her jacket
and walks out.

And I’ll keep doing so.

Because watching the building you set on fire

doesn’t stop the fact

it’s burning.

Being Misunderstood In The Society

“She’s dangerous.”

“She’s planning something.”

“She’s cold as ice.”

“She’s distant.”

“Hard to read.”

But I was aware of everything.

You’re not misunderstood.

People choose to miss the point.

You can’t make them happy.

This is not possible.

You can’t make anyone happy

if you’re dead inside.

I got so much love inside

that I’m trying to put it into words.

Carefully.

But intentionally.

Love is not only about crushing on people.

It’s about you too.

Despite everything—

I still care.

Even if I’m the only one.

Why try to warm up with a candle…
when you can light a whole city?

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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It’s Not Them, It’s Me Paradox

Most relationships rely on this:

The blind leading the blind.

You can’t unfold someone
who doesn’t want to open their eyes.

Most people choose to ignore.

Bonds form through:
unspoken lies
trauma
performance

“Please don’t see that I have a heart.”
“People don’t mind my people-pleaser energy.”

What is the point?

Imagine performing
next to the person you live with

every single day.

That’s not love.

That’s exhaustion.

We’re not robots.

But we’re not animals either.

You’ll still cry.

You’ll still feel joy.

You can’t hide from your own mirror.

Make It Warm But Far Away

Would you eat cold food?

No.

Would you eat burnt food?

Probably not.

So why are you doing this

to your own mind?

Mistakes don’t repeat 3 times.

If they do—

it’s a pattern.

Everyone wants connection.

Even the coldest ones.

Especially them.

We all want:

to be seen
to be loved
to be understood

But—

what feeds your soul

can also destroy it

if it controls you.

Then Why Do I Feel Like The Odd One Out

Because we’ve been lied to about loneliness.

You can be surrounded by 100 people

and still feel alone.

Because the real loneliness is:

intellectual.

You’re not missing people.

You’re missing being understood.

People are afraid of dying alone.

But not afraid of dying

next to someone they never loved.

Funny.

Scared of being alone.
Terrified of being seen.

I’m not afraid of being seen.

Not anymore.

Conclusion

Being highly observant doesn’t ruin your life.

It filters it.

You don’t drink from mud.

You filter water.

So why don’t you do that

with your heart?

The problem isn’t that you have no friends.

It’s that most people choose comfort over truth.

Truth cuts.

Like a razor blade.

And most people would rather

cover the wound

than heal it.

You didn’t lose friends because you’re difficult.
You lost them because you noticed what they hoped you wouldn’t.

"I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you."
— Friedrich Nietzsche

If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

The moment my clothes touched the seat,
the vibes got tense.

Feeling the eyes on me,
I paid no attention
and just minded my own business.

But what do you mean
you don’t care to look up?

Someone comes to you
and pinches your arm.

“You think you’re being smart?

They didn’t argue with me.
They didn’t correct me.

They just… went quiet.

If you read till here,
no — this isn’t a bullying survival story.

It’s something deeper.

Because I’ve recently discovered something more disgusting about politics.

I’m not a Nikola Tesla, but listen up.

You say something slightly off.

Everyone goes silent.

Some look at each other
and start silently laughing.

Others dig into their phones.

Fun fact:

They have a group chat without you.
And you’re the topic.

You’re the topic of the table.

Sounds familiar?

Because this doesn’t happen only in school classrooms.

This bullying scheme
has its claws all the way into politics.

And silence protects them.

We just think that political power is loud,
like in the Hollywood movies you’re watching.

Reality is different.

They don’t talk.

They listen.

And they keep silent.

Sometimes, they shut you down.

The main chatters of politics don’t yap.

They just watch.

Watch us embarrass ourselves
while they’re getting us ready
for another “pandemic.”

“When truth is replaced by silence,the silence is a lie.”
― Yevgeny Yevtushenko

OMG He’s So Quiet, WOW

Are you liking your favorite politician’s videos on Instagram?

And sharing them under,
“He’s so down to earth, wow; he eats food like us.”

Tsk, tsk…

Mind you,
each politician is portrayed the way they want you to see them.

You’re welcome.

Now about the silence.

Silence is not passive.
Silence is not neutral.

Silence is a tool
to keep you down from reaching the top of the shelf.

Ever notice this pattern?

People sitting, talking,
and “entertaining” the others.

The “quiet ones.”

Trying to win them over.

Especially in groups.

The “cool girl” getting her daily:

“OMG, you look so good. Wait, where did you buy this?”

…yapping session
by a bunch of puppets.

The poor are trying to seduce the rich
by acting like they’re the messiah.

The wife that gets 5 seen and 2 complaints
on the WhatsApp group a day
acts like she just saw heaven
when she sees her husband come home.

Groups are the micro versions of governments.

Those who talk always?

Local politicians.

Silent ones that control the narrative?

The big bosses.

The ones provoking fights and gossiping?

Ministries and foreign embassies.

Silence works in their favor.

Just like how your boss ignores your exploitation.

Or teachers pretending they don’t see you getting bullied.

Parents?

Ah — you spent half of your lifetime
to win them over, didn’t you?

This is the kind of thinking I don’t post everywhere.

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Silence 101, At Your Service

There are 3 types of silence.

1. Strategic Silence

Just like your crush ignoring you
while blasting the Instagram stories button,

politicians also don’t rush to respond.

They make others wait instead.

And their silence creates tension.

Some fill it
with their own delusions.

Same with the files.

Why are we talking about this so much?

Because there’s no response from power.

So people start writing
their own final destination scenarios.

2. Punitive Silence

This is my fav one.

This comes in
when someone says or does something “wrong.”

What happens?

Like the popular kids in school,

a group of people will stop talking to you.

Sometimes for their own safety.

Ignored messages.
Dry replies.
Being excluded from jokes.

This already happened to Zelenskyy,
in case you missed it.

Our handsome Spanish Pedro King Sánchez
ignored him completely
until he came with a handshake.

Go like his video really quick.

Or you might end up like Zelenskyy too.

3. Defensive Silence

The ones staying quiet?

They’re afraid too.

Yeah — power doesn’t mean
you get to sit in a villa
and forget about the rest.

It puts you inside
a constant survival mode.

Especially
if you’re relying on other big powers.

People stay quiet to avoid risk in groups too.

The women in the gatherings
who don’t stand up for each other.

The kids everyone ignores
until they end up on the floor, crying.

The men who stand up for each other
to keep their power.

This is all fear.

Fear of:

• Being judged

• Losing status

• Becoming the next target

Remember when you started cleaning
or fixing stuff
when your mom was mad at your siblings?

Yep.

This is it.

Silence here isn’t power.

It’s adaptation to power.

Who Gets to Be Silent?

Silence is not for everyone.

The seat you’re sitting on,
with the cigar in your mouth,
belongs to someone else.

Not everyone with power
gets to be silent.

Power holders do.

Holding vs. having power
are two different things.

Think of it like this:

I’m a fisher —
the best in the area.

But you control the sea.

And you profit from my work.

Who’s holding the power here?

Exactly.

And—

Silence is only powerful
if people are waiting for you to speak.

Meaning:

You must be valid enough
for people to go—

“Wait… where did she go?”

Otherwise?

You disappear into the void.

Like all the others did.

Guy Debord describes this kind of power as something you don’t see directly.

Not loud.
Not obvious.
Not even confrontational.

Just… there.

He calls it the “spectacle.”

Not just media.

Not just politics.

But a system where everything becomes an image,
and people stop living —
and start watching instead.

Here’s what matters:

1. Power Doesn’t Need to Speak

It doesn’t argue with you.
It doesn’t explain itself.

It just exists in a way that shapes everything around you.

You think you’re making choices.

But the system already decided
what your options look like.

2. You’re Not Participating — You’re Watching

People think they’re involved.

Commenting.
Liking.
Sharing.

But Debord’s point?

You’re not part of the system.

You’re a spectator of it.

The observer.

Watching politics like it’s your entertainment.

Watching power like it’s a binge show.

3. Silence = Control

Behind all the noise—

there’s a deeper silence.

Things that are never explained.
Decisions that are never questioned.
Power that is never directly confronted.

That silence is not accidental.

It’s what keeps the system operating.

4. The Endless “Now”

You’re constantly distracted.

New headlines.
New drama.
New outrage.

So you never stop and ask:

“Wait… what is actually happening?”

The past disappears.
The future becomes blank.

And you are stuck inside a loop—

reacting,
instead of understanding.

5. The Real Trick: You Don’t Even Notice

This is the most dangerous part.

Nothing feels forced.

Nothing feels controlled.

Everything feels…

normal.

That’s how silence wins.

Did this resonate or did it challenge you?

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The Silent Treatment In Politics

Well, obviously
the silent treatment your parents give you
isn’t the same as this one.

But they’re similar.

There are two versions:

Silent Treatment (1-on-1)

A direct punishment.
“Exclusive” treatment.

Collective Silence (group-level)

Not a direct attack.

More brutal.

Because—

It’s not one person ignoring you.

It’s everyone
deciding — without saying it—

that you don’t matter.

Why These Groups Suck

Groups IRL?

The ones where people get bullied to get in?

They suck.

Because people avoid:

• Open confrontation

• Accountability

• Emotional discomfort

So they use silence.

Because they get to say:

“I didn’t do anything.”

Groups look fun from the outside.

Reality?

Darker.

Imagine sitting at the same table
with people who just agreed
to sell you out.

One by one,
they know the next target could be them.

But this way—

they get to think:

“I’m safe.”

Because being alone scares people.

Especially people in power.

The only way they want to be alone?

By being the only one.

The Cost of Zipping Your Mouth

Eventually—

some leave.

Others get targeted.

Some just disappear.

And then there are the ones
who stayed silent no matter what.

Misunderstandings grow.
Resentment builds.

They lose status.
Power.
Respect.

Especially the ones playing both sides.

Aka—

“dignity up for sale.”

They don’t care who pays.

They just take it.

In groups?

They befriend the “cool kids”
to stay valid.

So lame, honestly.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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Have you ever used silence
to control a situation?

Have you stayed silent
to protect your place in a group?

And what did it cost you?

Be honest—

When was the last time
you stayed silent on purpose?

Remember:

The most powerful dynamics in groups
are rarely spoken out loud.

That’s exactly why they work.

Groups don’t always say:

“rejected.”

Sometimes—

they just go quiet.

And you understand everything.

“I decided it is better to scream. Silence is the real crime against humanity.”
― Nadezhda Mandelstam, Hope Against Hope

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

— Nope.

“Then why didn’t you tell me about this?“

— Because I didn’t want to.

There’s a very weird flinch in my brain that just gets activated.

After someone disappoints me, or just simply proves in any way possible
that they’re not capable of a normal human interaction.

Remember the times—
someone asked you a question;

you used to explain yourself like you’re in front of the court.

But this time, you just simply don’t.

Nothing bitter, just detached from the situation.

Nothing bad happened.

That’s how I knew something had changed in me.

Because nothing happened to change my view on it.

It’s giving, go girl,
and give them nothing.

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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Being Polite Is The Biggest Scam

Being polite is the biggest scam humanity ever invented.

Polite, huh?

You don’t owe politeness to someone that ruined your career.

Or that teacher that made you fail with no reason.

Or an ex who’s stuck on your arm like a flipping parasite.

You’re not explaining things further because you’re kind
and such an angel.

You’re explaining things because you’ve been trained to do so.

We seriously need to make this more popular.

Because what do you mean we live in a world
where women are wearing fake wedding rings
just to not get approached and bothered
by someone’s undomesticated son?

Even when you think you were being kind
to someone who absolutely didn’t deserve it—

You were actually negotiating.

Your way to exist
without problems in their lives
or just this planet.

I see this every day,
and it bothers me.

A man posted a full list of reasons
his wife didn’t want to sleep with him
for an entire month.

A list.

Y’all.

Imagine someone you know posting stuff like this.

Luckily he didn’t get the bait he wanted;
even men were like,

“This is so corny.“

This is what happens when you raise your kids
without reasons and only—

“Explain, explain, explain so they don’t make any noise.“

I thought my parents were mean.

But they taught me real-life ways long ago
that most parents did.

I didn’t grow up with a dad
that got everything I wanted;

he just said,

“Out of budget,
not necessary,
when I get my salary.“

Nor do I remember my mom buying everything
or doing everything
like she’s born to entertain
a tiny goblin with cheeks.

They had their reasons.

And it made more sense now.

The kids that get princess treatment
and get whatever they want no matter what
later become out of touch with reality.

And the first time someone tells them no—
they go post it on Instagram.

“I got rejected,“
he posted on Threads,

like he’s been rejected from art school.

“He didn’t buy me the 100 million dollar ring
for our engagement; time to leave him.“

Girl—

shut the hell up,
genuinely.

I don’t know whoever invented
this princess treatment phenomenon,

but it’s doing more damage than good.

I used to agree with them,
“If he wanted, he would.“

But no.

There are like thousands of guys around
who’ll buy you expensive gifts,

and blind your eyes
with this excessive treatment

and still don’t give a damn about you.

Because they want to skip to the next level
or just impress you,

not actually value you.

And let’s be honest.

Kindness in our society
is taught as something to use
when it benefits you.

Any man can be nice to you
if he has a benefit out of it.

Never forget that.

That’s why your idea of self-worth
should never be tied to a person—

or the stuff they can give you.

Mind you—

a man who cares for you
will do these naturally.

He doesn’t need a notes app
to make an appointment
to buy you a single flower.

He’ll make time.

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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Stop Explaining, Start Living

This isn’t a “be a literal meanie“ rant.

I’d never advise that to anyone.

But—

don’t make your kindness
available to everyone.

See who’s earning it
vs. using it against you.

Because the people
that you were kind to no matter what,

though they didn’t deserve it,

will not say,
“Wow, thank you, you’re such a good person.“

They’ll say,

“What an idiot.“

Especially men btw.

They see kind women
with no boundaries or self-worth

as dumb.

I read a post the other time,
and it’s absolutely true.

A woman wrote,

“Since I started living and thinking like a man,
my life’s been much easier.“

I agree.

Because men aren’t asked
to smile more.

Or to be nice to strangers,
just to make it home.

Unfortunately.

The message here is not,
“Start acting like an alpha male.“

Hell naw.

The message is to sharpen your boundaries
the same way cats sharpen their nails
three times a week.

No one sees your boundaries as “caution“
more than people
who want to use them against you do.

Boundaries don’t mean blocking
and moving on—always.

Sometimes it’s stopping the conversation.

Pausing the relationship or friendship.

Or simply giving people a chance
to prove themselves to you

and how they actually see you.

So stop explaining things further.

Don’t send that paragraph.

Believe me—

whether you’re a girl or a boy,

a paragraph won’t save your relationship.

It never did.

Real issues are fixed with action,
not a bunch of Instagram messages.

Your parents aren’t sending each other memes
on WhatsApp;

they actually discuss things.

Not explain—

discuss.

And discussion happens
with people who want to listen,

not just defend.

People don’t ask for explanations
because they need clarity.

Especially the answers
to the questions they already know about.

They ask to see
how much you care.

If you’re still in their orbit.

If you’re still willing to commit
to a nonexistent chemistry.

The more you explain,
the more you show:

I owe you clarity no matter what you do.

You are entitled to my reasoning
even when you’re the one who did me wrong.

Even in politics—

especially in politics.

Watch who gets to “listen“
and who’s explaining things

just to exist
and sit around the same table as them.

The world’s not ruled by leaders
who shake everyone’s hands.

It’s ruled by those
who are silent

but still hold the presence of power.

The kind that makes other people
regulate their behavior
around them.

The same way you did growing up.

So that no one would get hurt—

remember?

And they ended up hurting you instead.

No one will tell you
the truth about being kind.

Especially the fact
that you’ll turn yourself
into a doormat

if you don’t know
how to hold boundaries.

First Time The Realization Hits

There was no sadness.

Nor disappointment.

Maybe a little.

It felt odd.

Somehow stupid.

Nothing bitter
or “I’ll get revenge.”

Just a quiet realization
that I was tired

of making myself valid
in some spaces.

I was sure of one thing.

“I’m never going back
into spaces
where I got disrespected.“

No long message.

No justification.

No “sorry, but—”

Just:

“No.”

or

“I don’t think so.”

Is it a defense mechanism
or just a mature way
to look at things?

I honestly don’t know.

But it’s definitely better
for my mental health.

Ever since I stopped explaining myself
in rooms where I was disrespected—

cut access to people
who mistook my kindness
for weakness.

Life’s been much more quiet.

And grounded.

My idea is very simple.

I didn’t get this peace easily.

I worked hard for it
to build this space around me.

And no one gets to ruin
the flowers I planted ages ago.

If someone wants to exist
in my garden of mind—

they better agree
to the terms and conditions.

Here’s your truth.

Someone who disrespects you once
will do it again and again.

Unless they’re willing to change
and actually keep their words
stable with their behavior—

just get yourself out
of this modern torture machine.

Because they knew
what they were doing.

Someone who is willing
to make you happy

won’t salt your wound.

They’ll cover it up.

And no matter what—

once someone shows you who they are,

believe them.

You’re not the only one thinking this. Share it.

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Paradox Of Expectations

Movies romanticize stuff.

But most breakups and divorces I saw
weren’t loud.

They were a living paradox
to my expectations.

Movies show drama.

Claps in the air.

Slurs.

Backlash.

A loud abandonment.

Flashbacks.

But reality doesn’t go like that.

Most people just move on quietly.

Some come back.

Some try again.

A few disappear
into the void.

But nothing dramatic.

Every time I got hurt as a kid,
I asked myself:

“Why me?“

But now I realize it all.

The world didn’t punish me on purpose.

It just reorganized
around the version of me

that stopped asking for permission.

The Cost Of Losing

I watched the Instagram story
of the girl I saved in my phone as “BAE.”

And I felt nothing.

No “aw.“

Just pure detachment.

Not because she’s evil.

But because some friendships
quietly die.

Can they get intense again?

Maybe.

But ever since I outgrew
that personality
and the person that I was—

especially when I was friends with everyone,

now I don’t even claim
to have “my friends.”

I stopped being easy.

I don’t care
if someone likes me
or hates me for it.

I’m not the therapist friend anymore.

Being the person
people rely on
for emotional smoothing—

era over.

If you’re going to text me
only when you need something from me—

just simply delete my existence
from your life.

Thank you.

The biggest plot twist

is someone growing along
as you do—

and meeting up again
on the same brain wavelength.

This is rare.

But possible.

And to be honest—

the coolest feeling ever.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
— Martin Luther King Jr. (I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World)

Did I Change Or The World Made Me Do It

I used to hand people
a PDF file on how to treat me.

Not literally—

but I was very close to doing that.

But now, I understand:

people understand
as much as they’re capable.

You don’t owe parenting
to your own parents.

And you’re not supposed
to tell your boyfriend
how to treat you.

Nor are your kids your maids.

We need to understand
our roles in people’s lives.

Because most of the time,
you’ll realize—

you’ve been doing unpaid labor
for a decade

for people who couldn’t care less
about you.

I’ve always been selective
about who gets access to me.

But I was busy being kind
and giving out chances

like they were free samples
on Shein.

And I got wise.

So the answer to the question—

“Did I actually change
or did the world make me do it?“

I did change.

To the better.

Did the world push me to it?

It surely did have an effect on me.

But the world didn’t make me
go from pink to black.

I was already willing to change.

This can be you—

if you’re actually ready
to adapt to this mindset.

Because the hardest thing for us

is not changing careers,
friendships,
or lifestyle—

It’s changing mindset.

And that’s entirely up to you.

What Are You Running From

Here comes the unmentionable part.

The part you won’t restack—

but let it sit in your gut.

What are you running from?

And what’s leading you to it?

Because the last time I checked—

everything,

even the people I was running from,

found me.

When you’re in the corridor,

you check your back constantly.

Thinking someone’s out there
in the shadows—

looking for you.

The truth hurts.

Because the shadow

is your own reflection

looking back at you.

This is what you’re running from.

“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.”
— Sylvia Plath (The Bell Jar)

At some point, you realize—

explanation isn’t connection.

It’s performance.

And the moment you stop performing,

you find out
who was actually listening
the whole time.

If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

No.

If there’s one thing these alpha dudes are right about, it’s the eye contact.

Stop judging — and listen up.

Because we’ve been lied to a zillion times, and this one actually affects our daily life.

And most probably, you’re using it wrong.

Nobody teaches you that eye contact is political.
They teach you it’s about confidence, respect, honesty.

But the first time you hold someone’s gaze a second too long —
you realize it’s not about connection.

It’s about power.

It’s about control.

And like all forms of control,
the rules are never announced for people like us.

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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Who Allowed You to Look at Me?

Eye contact has various meanings.

It’s not about communication skills.

It’s about dominance.

Whoever looks down first, starts fidgeting —
loses the social power without even realizing it.

Look for this in a conversation. Always.

Especially in politics.

Who looks first?
Who looks away?
Who can afford to look more?

Before you start locking in people like it’s WW2, let me make this clear:

Eye contact doesn’t mean looking at people nonstop.

Unless you’re in Germany — don’t try this to be honest.
At least not in the Caucasus or the Balkans.

It’s about when and how to look.

Looking away is a confession.

The most powerful person in the room is not the one who speaks.

It’s the one who decides when eye contact begins — and ends.

Pretend it’s instinctive.

It’s not.

World leaders get body language and gesture trainings.
This is not coincidental.

You want examples?

• classrooms

• street interviews

• street interactions

• authority figures

I remember this very well.

Not being acknowledged — the times where I was shy,
and I used to look down rather than meet people in the eye.

Now the rules have changed.

You’d be amazed if you knew how much cautious authority gets
once they see your eyes aren’t backing off.

Like most do.

The story of Əmir Teymur (Amir Temur) is a good example for this.

He was known for his authoritative personality.
And people couldn’t dare to look him in the eye easily.

But when they did — it impressed him.

Being Confident Is Not About Staring

I’m going to destroy some people’s egos here.

But I’ll say it anyway.

Confidence doesn’t mean dressing trendy.
Staring at people with entitlement.
Thinking you’re the most genius person in the room.
Looking down on people of lower status.

That’s not confidence.

That’s insecurity — hidden underneath.

“There’s a very fine line between entitlement and confidence.”

And most people seem to confuse this.

“I’m the prettiest girl in the world.”
“I’m the hottest guy on this planet.”

No, you’re not.

And that’s okay.

There’s always someone prettier.
Richer. More successful. Smarter.

If being confident takes you to compete with 7 billion people —
you’ll always feel insecure.

Making eye contact to appear confident is shallow advice.

It doesn’t work this way.

Power allows you to lock the eyes — not confidence.

It’s easy to look at your family with confidence.

Try looking at the judges at the court.
People in power. Politicians.

See?

It wasn’t this easy.

A CEO vs. a regular employee holding eye contact
is not seen in the same way.

A woman vs. a man in the same situation
can end up in different ways.

Someone’s eye contact gets applauded —
while yours is seen as overstepping.

Confidence without permission reads as aggression.

Especially in rooms of power.

You’re not powerful enough?

Smile more.

Or lose your seat.

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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Are You Allowed To Sit Here?

Sometimes, a conversation isn’t needed.

Eye contact seals the deal.

Yes — especially in politics.

Eye contact equals a silent negotiation of:

• status

• safety

• territory

There are people of power that you’re not even allowed to look at.

And you’re out there saying you have democracy.

I’d like to see it, honestly.

You’re not even allowed to touch a royal family member.

Looking at them longer alone can get you writing poetry
in jail corridors.

Ask yourself:

Who are you allowed to look at?
For how long?
In what context?

Looking at strangers? → easy.

Authorities? → risky.

It also depends on how you look.
And your gender — yes.

Being a woman can both save you and kill you.

Depending on the situation, you’ll either hear:

“Who is this woman? Get her removed.”

Or:

“Brave woman.”

Now that you finally get this truth:

We don’t avoid eye contact because we’re shy.

We avoid it because we understand consequences.

And sometimes —
those consequences can ruin our lives.

This is the kind of thinking I don’t post everywhere.

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The People Who Don’t Look Away

Ever noticed that there are people who genuinely won’t look away?

From the weird kid at school —
to these:

• People who hold eye contact too long, even if you’re strangers

• People who don’t blink under pressure

• People who make you look away first

Some call it charisma.

But it’s not always confidence.

Sometimes — it’s predatory.

This happened to me many times.

Especially in public.

A random guy trying to use proximity to his advantage and touch me —
and I looked at them until it made them uncomfortable.

Until they backed off.

Sometimes these are the people who know they won’t be punished.

And that’s the scary part.

So what do we do?

We make them uncomfortable instead.

Because let alone predators — not even animals —
approach those who can fight back.

If you shrink yourself in public, weaken your presence and posture,
there’s a high chance you might see a crackhead approach you.

And this one is especially for my ladies:

You don’t owe any man kindness.
Especially strangers.

Unless they’re armed —
don’t entertain anyone’s son in public.

And it’s much easier to make them uncomfortable
than you think.

It’s almost entertaining.

Watching them feel stupid and back off.

You can do this too.

Digital Eye Contact

This is a very underestimated matter.

So let me show you how disgusting it actually is.

Digital eye contact isn’t someone staring through your screen.

Calm down.

It shows up in ways you already know:

• leaving you on seen

• replying late on purpose

• engaging less

In the absence of eyes,
we invented new ways to dominate each other.

There’s a reason people chase the ones who don’t reply.

It’s called power control.

Immediate reply? → submission.
Delayed reply? → control.

Seen, no response? → domination.

The modern version of breaking eye contact
isn’t looking away.

It’s choosing not to respond.

And let’s be honest.

There is no alternative universe
where someone can’t see your text in 24 hours.

They just choose not to respond.

That says everything.

Personally — there’s no place for such people in my life.

If you don’t show presence, you don’t get access.

Simple.

You don’t get to stay in my orbit
if I don’t feel your existence.

"Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes."
— Roy T. Bennett (The Light in the Heart)

Why This Makes People Uncomfortable

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Most people are passive.

They don’t want to be seen.
They don’t want to take space.

So they bury themselves — quietly.

But social interactions are power games.

Even something as “pure” as eye contact
is strategic.

It’s easier to believe in chemistry
than to admit choreography.

“We had chemistry.”

So?

Do you have a future?

People don’t abandon what they build.
They abandon what was never real.

Even politicians don’t hire based on chemistry.

They hire based on compatibility.

History.

Patterns.

Because the past is a preview of the future.

Pick wisely.

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
— Roald Dahl

Look Back At What You’ve Done

The next time someone tells you to
“just make eye contact,”

understand what they’re really asking you to do.

Take up space.

Risk misinterpretation.

Step into a system
no one explained to you.

But now you know.

And most importantly —

Be ready for what happens
when someone doesn’t look away.

Because eye contact was never about seeing.

It was about being seen.

And surviving what that means.

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

And then everyone stops and starts looking at you.

“What do you think?”

You hesitate.

Not because you don’t have an opinion; you do and that’s the problem.

Your brain is out of their comfort zone, and you know how it’ll land already.

You have 2 options.

Either voicing out your mind, for real, and losing the “cool“ vibe you had in the group.

Or fitting in and losing yourself.

The first one feels rude, but the second one feels like self-betrayal.

Because it is.

If this already made you uncomfortable, you’re exactly who this is for.

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You can’t go around posting content and then sit with your friends and

forget about your outlook about the entire existence of your life.

The hardest part of outgrowing your own thoughts isn’t about becoming someone brand new.

It’s the fact that you’d be arguing with your own past self before anyone else.

And I’m bold enough to say that I don’t share the same thoughts I used to do a few years ago.

My moral values never changed, but the way that I see life did.

And yours can be too.

"Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
— Oscar Wilde

No, I Don’t Agree With You Guys

Here we go.

The part you wish you’d skip but can’t.

Reality is bitter, and I don’t want to rub salt in your wound, but it is what it is.

Outgrowing a phase means leaving the people behind sometimes.

The friends you had for years, even a family member.

Not literally, but thoughtfully.

Because the gap gets obvious each day.

You’re not really satisfied by the things you used to buy.

You’re not liking the same things as they do.

And that’s okay.

This doesn’t make them a villain.

But it just means you’re not really in the same mental psycholine anymore.

(Yes, I just made that word up.)

Think about it.

Even the you 5 years ago wouldn’t agree with you.

She’d think you’re crazy.

But that’s what it takes to grow.

I don’t fully agree with who I used to be anymore, and that’s okay.

But the worst part of changing your mind is realizing your old self would think you’re dangerous or weird.

The people you’re arguing with in their comment section, that could be you.

People think growth means maturity.

But is it really? Always?

Sometimes it means betraying your old ways.

You weren’t just wrong before — you were just convinced you were right.

You defended those beliefs and built a whole identity around them.

Of course leaving them behind feels odd.

You don’t go around thinking,
“I used to eat mushrooms with cheese.”

You think,
“Damn, I used to believe in this political concept.”

And you feel dumb as the growth comes in.

Because real growth is never supposed to make you feel like Einstein.

“Who was I then?”

Ask yourself this question and tell me, who are you now?

And how it really changed for you.

Could the you 5 years ago possibly recognize you at all?

If this felt a little too accurate, send it to someone who won’t say it out loud.

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Why this hurts so much

Here’s the truth.

Because those beliefs were tied to who you were back then.

Your whole identity.

Guys get buzzcuts after breakups.

Not because they’ve changed, but the identity that couldn’t “win“
needs a change.

This is a survival mechanism.

I’ve seen people do the weirdest things after breakups or divorces.

And usually the sides that move on the fastest or replace the easiest
are the ones that’ll be thinking about this situation longer.

This looks like a tree that has a big hole underneath.

Sometimes people are the same way.

There are holes in their souls.

Some fill it with music and hobbies.

Others do it with addiction.

Some will do it by replacing and hurting everyone around them
because they’re never happy about who they actually are.

Here’s the saddest part.

Those who never managed to make peace with their own souls
will ruin others’ peace too.

The toxic ex that’s never leaving you alone,

The friends that still find ways to ruin your day,

And the people around work,
who pick on people that are younger and more successful than they are.

These are the most insecure and unhappiest people you’ll ever see in your life.

This reminds me of a situation where I ended things with a “friend.“

He kept trying.

Telling me,
“Our political opinions don’t matter; let’s still stay friends.”

And this is what I said:

“I have no respect for you anymore, and you can’t be friends with someone like you.”

And guess what?

This is a direct ego attack.

People don’t move on from these easily.

They get buzzcuts.

They change careers.

But it’s still back in their mind, knowing that they were wrong.

We don’t struggle with being wrong.
We struggle with having once been someone who could be that wrong.

And when you keep focusing on the muscles rather than your brain,

Not living what you preach,

At some point your own brain stops believing in you.

That’s why it matters to discover your real self before everything gets real.

So you’re ready to actually live.

Real happiness lies within you.

It’ll never feel enough.

What matters is you keep going.

Keep on moving and discovering new parts of yourself.

This is the kind of thinking I don’t post everywhere.

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Make it Easy Please

Here’s something no one wants to say out loud, but as usual, I will.

Because I refuse to let you believe in lies while I’m around.

Your past self might judge your current self.

Your current self judges your past self too.

There is no “winner“ in this story.

Because you’re not in a fight against your own identity.

You’re letting the 10-year-old you live the potential she was dreaming of.

Not giving her this chance is the real self-betrayal.

Growth creates 2 personas that can’t stay in the same room anymore.

One of them has to be quietly buried.

Because his time is over.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably on your way to do all these.

One little note:

It’ll never feel easy.

Easy is the passive route.

The one that’ll crush you long-term.

The one that didn’t want to get out of the comfort zone
and lost his mind in the very first problem of life.

This is what happens when you’re not ready for the life you’re preaching about.

Real life is not like Instagram.

And it’ll never be like that.

You can post 100 reels about empathy and still struggle with it.

You can act like a beauty guru while judging others.

You can fool people with the muscles you don’t even really have.

Like this guy.

Time to make brainmaxxing a trend.

Stop Hiding Behind Your Shelf

Stop hiding from the cameras.

Stop hiding behind passivity.

Outgrowing yourself isn’t a crisis.

It’s evidence that you are no longer easily convinced or fooled.

Not even by your own past.

Your past only defines you if you keep living in it.

If you pose about “high value women” but follow “models“ online,

If you’re bragging about your political mind but can’t hold a single discussion,

If you’re calling yourself a girl’s girl but you’re the first one to judge,

You’re not evolving.

You’re evolving backwards.

And it takes you back to level one, constantly.

And you end up asking, “Why?”

Because you never learned.

If your past self would fully agree with you today, you probably haven’t grown at all.

Not even a little bit.

This one’s especially for teenagers stuck with
“This is who I am.”

That’s the problem.

This is who you are, and you don’t see any issues.

You either live the way you are
or are the way you think.

When these 2 don’t match, we see contradictions.

“My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there.”
― Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

The question isn’t whether you’ve changed.
It’s whether you’re willing to live with the version of you that didn’t.

That’ll help you see things clearer.

Growth doesn’t erase who you were.

It just removes your ability to defend it.

And this hurts.

Especially if you’re not willing to get better.

Do you still agree with who you were a year ago?

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If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

You were supposed to get something.

But the moment you’re inside, your mind goes, “Oops.”

And you’re like… wait, why did I come here?

Sounds familiar? Right.

But what if I told you…

we’ve been lied to about everything —

and we’re not learning every day,

but forgetting instead?

The schools that we go to.

The jobs we work for.

The so-called “growth” mindset.

Notice how it all connects…

in one single thing:

Distracting you from the real world.

I bet you can name 10 footballers and celebrities…

but not a single politician.

Because we’re wired to think this way.

We forget what matters — very quickly.

This line’s so famous that probably even your dog has heard of it:

Watch, adapt, forget, and repeat.

I’m not your mom…

but let me tell you a secret.

You didn’t forget.

You are being pushed to.

The news that burned your brain last week…

the incidents that got you thinking at 3 AM…

You didn’t magically forget them.

Your mind was shifted.

Redirected.

It’s not that generations before us were smarter.

They just had fewer things trying to steal their attention.

Never forget this:

Forgetting is the biggest pillar of control ever invented in humanity.

Forget your own history…

and watch it repeat.

Why do you think the only advice we got was:

“Never forget.”

Because the level of distraction we live in today…

couldn’t even exist in their imagination.

Gladiator fights.
Television.
Radio.
Phones.

The list grows every year.

And you’re out there waiting for the next World Cup song.

Honestly… good luck.

Disagree with me.

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Forget About Everything Until You Have No Identity

When we speak about privilege,

you think of money, media, military power.

Wrong.

There’s something more powerful than all of them:

Being forgettable.

Think about it.

No matter what you do…

you’re not held accountable.

The modern world doesn’t need power to hide.

They do everything right in front of you.

It’s a performance.

And the twist?

You forget it the second it ends.

That sums up our entire experience with power.

I Don’t Know What To Believe In Anymore

We’re inside a loop.

And you don’t even realize how dangerous it is.

Remember when things felt easier?

When did we actually trust authority?

When television meant “this is true”?

We had trust.
We had hope.

Now both are gone.

We feel betrayed.

Because we are.

Every piece of information makes me go:

“Et tu, Brute?”

Not even Julius Caesar felt this betrayed…

at least there was a purpose.

Now?

There’s nothing to hold onto.

Civilians dying isn’t news for two weeks anymore.

Prime ministers aren’t loved.

Sanctions aren’t applauded.

Everything is mocked.

Laughed at.

Because people are waking up.

But here’s the problem:

You don’t remember the outcomes.

And that…

is the point.

You can find a million angles about something buried years ago.

But the people who saw only one version…

believed it.

And now?

It’s too late.

"The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history."
— George Orwell

I’m Exposing How This System Works

If you get one piece of bad news a day —

it’s a headline.

You feel it.

But if it’s more than you can count?

You go numb.

That’s the system.

1. Fake Outrage

New crisis.
New war.
New “breaking news.”

Result?

You stop reacting.

Exactly what they want.

2. Flood of Information

Too much information = noise.

Not clarity.

Burnout isn’t accidental.

It’s made.

“If you know too much… you remember nothing.”

Ask someone who consumes news 24/7 what they remember.

Nothing.

You’re welcome.

3. Time Is a Weapon

If there’s one thing Karl Marx got right…

it’s this.

Time is used against you.

History isn’t just written.

It’s positioned.

Confucius. Socrates. Buddha.
Same era.

Gandhi and Jack the Ripper?
Same time.

Queen Elizabeth II and Marilyn Monroe?
Same year of birth.

Shocking?

Good.

Because this is how easy it is to manipulate perception.

You don’t change facts.

You change how they’re felt.

Still reading? Got you.

If you want a deep dive on history, this one’s written exactly for you.

Flipping Their Game On Their Faces

I’m done being polite.

They don’t care about exposure.

They care about your memory.

Not cameras.

Not headlines.

Your attention span.

How fast they can erase themselves from your mind…

and replace it with something else.

And I refuse.

I don’t want your trends.

Your distractions.

Your “pink Stanley cup” trend.

Give me truth.

World Cup?
Talks with no outcomes?
Endless forums?

Keep them.

I’m not hungry today.

We’re Not Naive Anymore

Stop saying:

“We can’t do anything.”

We can.

Your ancestors did it without internet.

With swords.
With protests.
With real consequences.

We don’t lack information.

We lack action.

Because we don’t know what to do with what we know.

So here’s an idea:

Use their system against them.

They steal your time?

Take theirs.

They waste your money?

Find the loopholes.

Every system has one.

Play the game…

and watch them lose control.

Forget Their Names, But Not Their Actions

Forgetting was never neutral.

It’s political.

The system isn’t broken.

It’s functioning exactly as designed:

To drain your attention.

You think society “changed”?

No.

It adapted to survive pressure.

This isn’t freedom.

It never was.

Freedom doesn’t mean comfort.

Here’s My Honest Solution

Not “stay aware.”

That’s outdated.

Instead:

Look for patterns.

Track loops.

Don’t just react.

Remember.

Refuse closure.

Revisit unresolved events.

If you do that…

you’ll start seeing clearly.

The privilege of being forgettable…

is not accidental.

It is granted.

Every time the public moves on.

They don’t need you to be silent.

They just need you…

to forget.

If you’ve ever felt like everything matters for 48 hours and then disappears —
That’s not a coincidence.

Subscribe to Cattitude.
I don’t write to inform you.
I write so you don’t forget.

Subscribe now

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

Very clearly.

So why do I miss her?

It feels like losing a part of yourself.

Like you see a part of your life where everything felt wrong…

And you feel like giving yourself a hug.

Sometimes I look at the old photos of myself.

Especially from times where I didn’t feel like belonging anywhere.

And feel close to grief of losing something.

Maybe that something was the version of myself that’ll never come back again?

"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."
— Alfred Tennyson

I Owe Younger Me An Apology

I owe you an apology.

Dear 10-year-old Zəhra.

For making you feel like you were never enough.

Because now…
I get it all.

It’s not the life I’m missing.
Not the timeline.
Nor the circumstances.

I miss who I was back then.

The version of me that existed inside this lifetime.

And I’m not afraid to admit that I was wrong about her.

I miss the girl I couldn’t stand looking at.

The same girl who was having a hard time making herself happy.

And the one who’d turn around when she heard someone laughing,

thinking they’re laughing at her.

I miss the girl I couldn’t stand when I was actually living as her.

Because it was never about her, really.

It was how she felt…
that I hated so much.

Tell me if I’m wrong.

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Are Our Memories Lying To Us?

Memories are so funny.

Photos are liars.

Liars that make you feel like garbage at the time.

Later on, years after, you look at the same picture and think,

“What an adorable kid.”

Pictures are lying to us every day, because tell me why…

I felt like a loser back then.

And now, I look at the same picture and realize—

I was still cute.
Still pretty.

But I didn’t have the eyes to notice that.

And when you can’t see the light in yourself,
you can’t see the light in the world either.

That looks like being a sunflower but never facing the sun.

If you never tilt your head,
you’ll never see the beauty this world’s got.

For the eyes looking for beauty, beauty is everywhere.

It’s inside us.
It’s around us.

Look sharper.

Look the same way you used to analyze before posting a picture on your Snapchat as a kid.

Because the same pictures I look at didn’t make me feel fine back then.

We see “cigarette kills” written all over the packages.

But I’ve never seen an
“overthinking kills” message.

Though it does.

Reminds me of the video of a lady who said,

“I spent my entire life pleasing people and putting them first.”

And what happened to her?

She got cancer.

Pleasing others and overthinking every single move has no ending, y’all.

Live your damn life as long as you’re alive.

You’ll never be 22 again.
I’ll never be 15 again.

We’ll never get to be the ages we couldn’t spend living, one more time.

Don’t waste this one too.

I remember overthinking everything.
I remember wanting to escape my own life.

Sounds funny, but I felt odd in my own body for a very long time.

Like I was playing someone else’s life…
and cosplaying as her.

The photo you’re looking at doesn’t remember all this.

It just keeps a memory of you.

And we need to make better memories if we want to remember things well.

Do I Miss Her Or What She’d Have Become

Maybe we’re not really missing the happiness that could have been achieved.

Or the choices we could have prevented.

We’re missing what she’d have become now.

If she started earlier.
If she learned better.

Right?

Not really.

You’d not be this empathetic if you were never the one waiting for it.

Or happy, if you didn’t know what grief ever meant for you.

We can’t really see the light without the darkness.

Anyone who tells you they do… is lying.

Albert Camus wouldn’t be writing about the meaning of life

if he never had to sit down at 3 am,
thinking about the reasons to keep going.

So did all your favorite philosophers.
And writers.
And all the people you aspire to be like.

They also felt odd.

They didn’t grow up to be the people you like right away.

It takes time to grow a seed.

And we’re like plants.

We also grow with time.

If watered with knowledge.

Seeing the light is part of the process.

But whoever told you that you’ll only have good days in life… lied to you.

I’m sorry that you had to find out this way.

You couldn’t be here today if you didn’t manage to:

See the things that later turned into patterns.

Being disappointed in certain things and people.

Still believing that it’ll all work out.

Maybe you miss the old you because she was less aware.

Less worried about life.

And there was less on her shoulders.

Maybe you liked the old you because her life seems easier now.

Meanwhile, the future you is out there, laughing.

Because it’ll never get easier.

With this mindset, where you think responsibilities will magically disappear one day—

You’ll never get to be happy, really.

Enjoy your 20s.
30s.

If you don’t want to end up like the people,

who tell you,
“I wish I was your age again.”

Because that’s the part we underestimate.

You can have all the money and opportunities in the world.

But time doesn’t stop for you.

It doesn’t come back.

You can’t get it back.

Especially the time you wasted.

Thinking and caring for things that never really mattered.

"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
— Mark Twain

Who Am I Really

Here’s the plot twist no one will tell you.

There’s a really weird feeling noticing you’re slowly becoming someone else.

Like in the past… you died somewhere.

Buried six feet under.

That’s what an identity shift feels like.

Because some versions don’t evolve.

They get left behind.

For good.

Now, before you get nostalgic, remind yourself—

how that version made you feel.

how many opportunities it made you miss.

how many mistakes it led you to.

Sometimes, the ones you leave behind

are the ones who still believed in things you no longer can.

And that’s okay.

This is called growth.

And no—

you didn’t spend all those years believing in a lie.

Your life mattered; it still does.

But your truths have changed.

Your priorities are different now.

You’re not 12 years old anymore.

The surviving mechanism you made up back then can’t save you anymore.

You can’t upgrade using the old ways.

New doesn’t mean abandoning the old.

It means surviving what could possibly ruin you.

You’re doing way better than you think.

You’ll notice this later, I promise.

Because I felt the same way.

Did you feel the same too?

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Point At Yourself In The Mirror

A year ago, I played a game.

One of those story games where you pick your own path.

And it had a twist I’d never really think of.

There was a conversation between the young girl and the lady in her 20s.

The kid said,
“Why do you hate yourself?”

She replied,
“I don’t; I just don’t like you.”

The kid said,
“I’m you, but when you were younger. You’ve been hating on your own self all this time.”

The whole game, I spent looking for answers.

Not even knowing the answers are right in front of me.

The old lady, I said,
“I’ll never be like her.”

The kid I found cringy…

They were all me.

In different phases of life.

That’s our reality.

We spend our lives thinking and judging everything,
without even realizing—

Life will always feel cringe.

As long as you’re seeing it as a form of survival.

Look at yourself in the mirror.

You’ll not see the same face years later.

Maybe you’ll be like your father.

Maybe not.

I used to think growth only meant becoming better.

Now I realize it also means becoming someone who can no longer return to the old ways.

And maybe that’s why the photos hurt.

Like the main character, we hate seeing ourselves.

Especially the ones that we never made peace with.

And the ones we miss…

We don’t miss them because they were better.

But because she was still available to a version of life I’ve outgrown.

Think about it.

The stuff that made you happy back then will not satisfy you today.

Things you accepted—you’d rarely be okay with them.

People you crushed on…
you’d probably hate them right now.

And the cool kids?

Oh boy.

You realized how cringe they were, right?

Resolution

Here’s my resolution.

I don’t want to be her again.

I already was her.

She’s still inside of me.

But I understand now why I miss her.

Because she had fewer expectations from life.

She didn’t know what was coming next.

And there’s a kind of peace in that.

You can never achieve it once you’ve seen too much.

Maybe that’s why I’m actually grieving so hard.

Not who I was—

but what I didn’t know yet.

I don’t know if she’d recognize me.

But I think she’d be proud of me.

For who she’s become today.

With all due respect,

Hugs to the 10-year-old Zəhra. <3

If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

He cut me off.

Not because I was wrong.

Because I wasn’t supposed to finish.

You’ve probably been interrupted mid-sentence before.

Not always dramatically… but quietly, and sharply.

Just enough to remind you—
you weren’t supposed to finish that sentence.

Because you’re not powerful enough to do so

Are all interruptions political?

Short answer: yes.

Long answer… also yes.

It’s not a coincidence.

And no—
it wasn’t just being rude either.

In power, interruption works quite differently
than in our social space.

Interruption is not about impatience.
It’s not about correction.

It’s a decision about
whose voice matters
and who gets to be heard first—
in real time.

Interruptions are rarely about urgency.

They’re about hierarchy.

The question is never
“who spoke first.”

The question is:

who is allowed to finish…
and who isn’t.

Tell me if I’m wrong.

Leave a comment

The Shift Is Scarier Than You Expected

We’re used to this.

Getting interrupted.

Being “advised.”

Every day.

This happens in work meetings.

Classrooms.

Media systems.

And finally—
politics.

What if I told you…
none of these were coincidental?

The same people who get interrupted in meetings
are the same people whose policies get ignored.

The same people—
who are never heard.

I’ve seen the shift myself.

There’s been rooms where I was constantly “taught” something.

Every single word coming out of my mouth
was being corrected.

I was not only interrupted—
I was minimized.

Shrank into whatever they wanted me to become.

Which, sadly for them…
I never fit into their boxes.

Like oil getting everywhere but in your lashes,
I got everywhere they were trying to get me away from.

Here’s the rule no one will tell you.

Not only in politics—
but in every aspect of your life:

If you constantly get “fixed,”
you’re being positioned.

If you never stand up for yourself,
you’re being categorized.

The quiet kid.

The shy girl.

The antisocial one.

Don’t let them rank you.

Pick your own place in the room.

How?

Act like you belong there.

Even if it’s a room
you’ve never been in.

Because authority feels this shift
harder than anyone else.

If you’re scared of them,
they’ll gladly use this
to shrink you.

Don’t give them that power.

Who Gets INTERRUPTED and HOW

People… there are layers to this.

Let’s take a look.

A. The “I Almost Got It”

You’re allowed to start the conversation…
but to finish?

Nope.

You’re “acceptable” enough to be in the room—
but not authoritative enough to control it.

B. The “Explainers”

Interrupted because your speech was
“too long.”

Punished for clarity.

Punished for stating facts.

C. The “Soft Voices”

Believe it or not—
voice tone matters.

Not only in politics.
But in media.

I’ve gotten
“Your voice is too cute for politics lol”
more times than I can count.

Later?

I got respected.

Your voice doesn’t need to sound like Elvis Presley.

But it does need to sound
certain.

If you’re hesitant,
authorities feel it.

Politicians feel it.

Your teachers do.

Yes—
even the girl you’ve been crushing on for weeks.

If you want control over your voice,
train it.

Even something as simple as
tongue twisters—
works.

D. The “Threat”

Interrupted because they are right.

Or worse—
persuasive.

This is probably the most common one
in politics.

The more dangerous your voice becomes…
the faster someone tries to cut it off.

When was the last time you got interrupted?

Leave a comment

The Psychology Of Interruption

Now my favorite question:

Why?

Because interruption means—

• dominance (remember who’s the boss)

• conversational control (I control this pace)

• fear of losing narrative (I exist too, remember?)

• discomfort with certain speakers (this is bad for my image)

Interruption happens so fast
you don’t even notice it.

Let me give you examples.

US President Donald Trump
has a loud, boyish persona in politics.

So his interruptions are
loud dominance signaling.

It reminds you of that rich kid at school
looking down on everyone, right?

That’s exactly how his image is shaped.

Take a look.

Notice how uncomfortable Japan’s PM Takachi looks.

This is how it works.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin
is the exact opposite.

That’s why one gets called “rude”…
while the other gets applauded.

But both of them
use the same tactic.

Notice how nervous he got?

This is how quiet power looks.

Don’t be fooled by the smiles.

How people act around their leaders
shows the reality.

The Invisible Rule

Do you know what this looks like?

An unspoken agreement in every conversation:

• who leads

• who follows

• who steps back

Interruptions are part of this contract.

Every conversation has a price.

Not everyone gets to pay the entrance fee
just to speak.

Interruptions decide this—
without ever being announced.

Donald Trump didn’t argue with
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, or Hillary Clinton.

He interrupted them.

Every single one.

Not to win points—

but to prevent them
from landing.

And when Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke
at the Oval Office…

Even urgency couldn’t save him.

His points were reduced.

Minimized.

Redirected.

Interruptions aren’t just cutting words off.

Sometimes—
they change the subject.

Sometimes—
they shrink the importance.

But they always work.

Because now…
your attention has shifted.

How Does It Really Work

We talked about who interrupts
and who gets interrupted.

Now—
what about those who never get interrupted?

That’s power.

Powerful people don’t wait.

They make others wait.

They interrupt others—

but rarely get interrupted back.

Silence isn’t neutral either.

There are two types of silence in politics:

• the silence of power

• the power of silence

Like the Takachi example.

She didn’t talk back.

Not because she didn’t understand.

Not because she lacked responses.

But because power
was already speaking.

In Putin’s case—
it’s the opposite.

What happens when you talk back?

You get removed.

Or you remove yourself.

Like Zelenskyy.

And in my opinion—
he chose the best option
for that moment.

Even silence…
is political.

For some, it creates space.

For others—
it erases them.

There’s space for you
in Cattitude.

Here,
thoughts don’t get interrupted.

Subscribe now

Why Can’t We Resist Like They Did

No.

You don’t need to speak louder.

Try this instead—

Finish your sentences.

Intentionally.

You don’t need paragraphs.

Sometimes one word
can trigger a nation.

Don’t be too grateful.

Gratitude is good—

but if you don’t claim your space,
someone else will.

Name the interruption.

Directly.

Like that journalist
who asked Putin a question—
and then asked again.

Most people wouldn’t.

✦ Final ✦

The politics of interruption is simple:

Some people are heard nonstop—

and some people
are managed,
cut off,
or regulated.

In a world obsessed with free speech…

Pay attention to
who doesn’t get to speak.

And who gets to finish.

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

Because in this world, nothing is actually ours.

The body, given by Allah.
The house, properties, all the investments you worked for—

They can be wiped in seconds.

I’m not scared of failing.

But I’m scared of winning.

And you are too.

What if I told you you’ve been lied to about failure?

And it’s been the opposite all along.

Most people aren’t scared of failing.

They’re scared of winning.

They’re afraid of the moment when the thing they’ve been asking for… actually happens.

Because once you get what you asked for, it doesn’t just go like a Disney movie with “The End.”

Now you’re responsible.

Now you’re exposed.

Because failing math isn’t the same as winning a competition and then finding yourself at zero.

Once you win, the expectations rise.

And there’s no one left to blame.

Because the matter’s in your own hands.

Success removes all your excuses.

The Lie We Tell Ourselves Everyday

You hear these sentences daily.

Maybe you’re the one saying them.

“I’m scared it won’t work out.”
“I’m scared I’ll fail the midterms.”
“I’m scared I’m not good enough for this opportunity.”

These are passive fears.

Like the gum we’ve been chewing for a decade.

They’re familiar.

Comfortable.

Predictable.

The real fear lies in a different sentence.

Let me remove the “won’t” for you.

Look again.

The real fear is:

“What happens if it works?”

Because if it works—

• People expect more from you
• You become visible. Known.
• Your identity changes
• You can’t go back to being “potential”

And here’s the truth no one will tell you.

Being potential feels good.

It’s an adrenaline rush.

Little wins.

Little excitement.

And the idea of being something often sounds cooler than actually becoming it.

Failure protects you.

Success removes the veil.

Success Is Infectious

Here’s another uncomfortable truth.

Success sounds better in your head than it actually is.

When you grow out of a phase—

You won’t be accepted by everyone.

Sometimes not even your family.

Some of your “friends” will leave and say:

“You used to be cooler.”

Some people will start projecting bigger expectations onto you.

And historically, humans survived in tribes.

Not alone.

Standing out wasn’t glamorous.

It was dangerous.

Your brain still remembers that.

So when you start succeeding, the brain interprets it as social risk.

It would rather keep you safe in the tribe.

Even if the tribe is holding you back.

And here’s something I learned by 22.

If someone is threatened by:

• your success
• your big life choices
• your growth

They are not your friends.

Real friends grow with you.

They don’t pull you backward.

In Azerbaijani we have a phrase:

“Cəhənnəmə yoldaş axtarır.”

It literally means:

“Someone looking for a teammate to go to hell.”

Some people will drag you down with them.

No matter what.

So if you keep them in your life—

You can’t really grow.

Because success is infectious.

The people who want to improve will move toward you.

Not run away like they just saw a cop.

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend”
― Albert Camus

The Responsibility Shock

Most people fantasize about success.

“I’ll be a father one day.”
“I want to own a company.”
“I want to go to that college.”

But they rarely imagine what happens the next morning.

Congratulations.

It happened.

You got the promotion.

Now you must work twice as hard to keep going.

You got 1 million subscribers.

Say goodbye to your nervous system.

100k views won’t satisfy you anymore.

She said yes to your proposal.

Marriage is no longer a fantasy.

It’s real.

And real brings responsibility.

Success removes the illusion.

Wanting something is easy.

Being responsible for it?

That’s terrifying.

Especially when you’re not ready.

The Identity Crisis of Achievement

“Did I really want to become an astronaut?”

Or did it just sound cool?

“I never wanted to become a parent.
I just thought it would complete my life.”

“I worked for that company because it was prestigious.”

Relatable?

Here’s the truth.

People think achieving something will complete them.

Their life.
Their personality.
Their “story.”

Instead they feel:

• strange emptiness
• pressure
• a new question

“Now what?”

Humans are wired for pursuit, not arrival.

Like parents expecting a baby—

but not the sleepless nights.

Students imagine university as social freedom—

but forget the exams.

Entrepreneurs imagine money—

but not the legal chaos every month.

Dopamine keeps you chasing.

But when you reach the destination—

the excitement disappears.

Once the goal is reached:

• dopamine drops
• uncertainty returns
• meaning must be rebuilt

Achievement doesn’t end the story.

It was never supposed to.

It simply erases the old one.

The story just began.

The question is, are you ready for it?

Leave a comment

The Passive Joy of “Almost” Achieving Something

Most people live in preparation mode.

“I’m almost ready.”
“Next year.”
“After this.”
“When things calm down.”

Because almost is safe.

It feels good in your mind.

But from the outside—

It looks like delay.

Almost is:

• hope without risk
• identity without accountability
• ambition without exposure

And almost has an expiration date.

Sometimes it arrives after a decade.

When you finally gather courage—

and realize the opportunity is gone.

Some opportunities don’t wait.

And that realization cuts sharper than a razor blade.

The college you didn’t apply to.

The job you didn’t pursue.

The relationship you never tried to fix.

They now belong to someone else.

Life doesn’t stop because you feel anxious.

The world keeps moving.

The world is literally on fire.

We might not have as much time as we think.

So don’t say:

“It could never happen to me.”

Do it while you can.

Because knocking on a door after the lock has changed—

is like trying to stop floodwater with a sponge.

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
— Roy T. Bennett

What Actually Happens When You Get There

It’s not cinematic.

You won’t cry like a Victorian widow.

It feels quiet.

Grounded.

Because now you have more to do.

• more work
• new problems
• different fears
• bigger decisions

But you also gain something powerful.

• deeper self-respect
• clearer identity
• freedom from regret

The truth is simple.

The reward of success isn’t comfort.

It’s self-trust.

Let’s test something.

Which fear is stronger for you?

A) Fear of failing
B) Fear of succeeding

Write A or B in the comments and tell me why.

Leave a comment

The Question You’re Running From

You can’t run now.

Let me ask you the real question.

Not:

“What if it all fails?”

But:

What if it works?

Who will you have to become if it works?

Because that’s the part you’re actually afraid of.

"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."
— Fyodor Dostoevsky

If you’re hesitating right now—

it might not be because you doubt the path.

It might be because you can already see where it leads.

And the person waiting at the door

looks unfamiliar.

To greet him—

you have to cross the bridge.

Before you leave, answer me honestly:

What is one thing in your life that you’ve been delaying because you’re afraid it might actually work?

I read every message.

If this made you uncomfortable, stay.

If it made you feel understood, you already know why.

Support the work that refused to stay quiet.

Endnotes

Some stories arrive exactly when they are meant to.

If this aligned with something in you,
I’m glad you felt seen.

More soon.

See you in the next MON.
Take care of your heart.

—Zəhra

Trying to find yourself a place to stand in.

But the train is crowded.

As if everyone was told to leave their houses

At the same hour.

You’ve found a little space.

Suddenly, someone comes in.

And push you like it’s promised for them.

You can’t say anything, your mouth dry after seeing the audacity someone has.

You start cursing or mumbling under your breath because, well, one crazy passenger, right?

Now, what if I told you the people who never shrink

and instead steal others’ spaces

later become important people?

“Man is not, by nature, deserving of all that he wants. When we think that we are automatically entitled to something, that is when we start walking all over others to get it.”
― Criss Jami, Diotima, Battery, Electric Personality

We Were Never Respected

You’re walking into an office.

Same old theme everywhere.

Long desks, computers, headphones, and people working like rats.

Reminds me of a prison, honestly.

But you get to have your own desk and drawer, right?

Come on.

Then you see what the boss’ room looks like.

Room?

You meant palace, right?

That’s basically a house.

Own bathroom, own desk, very big space.

Some even have fridges and TVs inside.

These aren’t enough,

they have parking spaces closest to the entrance

private elevators

leadership floors requiring keycard access

You can feel the entitlement before you’re even approached.

The workplace calls this transparency and hard work.

But transparency rarely seems to apply to the people who are not powerful.

In many companies, the people with the least power are the most visible.

When you enter the room, you see them first.

But the boss needs an appointment, though.

They’re in their room doing pretty much the same thing.

Power gets the bigger space.

Think of it like eating a cake.

I get the biggest slice.

Why?

Because I’m the favorite kid.

Same theme, different actors.

Disagree with me.

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The Grass Is Greener For Some Of Us

You’re working like a rat.

Present every day.

Asking for permission to even eat.

And then comes the time you’re sick.

Your manager is not happy about this.

But another coworker of yours,

They get sick leave for almost every week.

They’re still not fired.

Even appreciated.

While you’re like,

“Is it offensive if I ask for…?”

Everyone can see everyone else.

Every phone call is overheard.

Every break is noticed.

Yeah.

Imagine working in a place

where someone puts out an alarm to see how much time you take to eat.

This isn’t a joke.

This is someone’s life right now.

“You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.”
― Abraham Lincoln

The Political Game Behind This

Politicians do this too.

Ever noticed how some leaders get to sit first and talk first?

and even eat or leave first before others.

This is called power privilege.

In many diplomatic meetings,

leaders will not sit down until the other one does.

Sitting first can be seen as submission.

Not just this.

Even tables are political.

Long tables with leaders that are less powerful

But one-on-one with those called allies.

Even the distance between chairs can be political.

A long table signals dominance, power, and sometimes caution or distance, done on purpose.

When leaders host a meeting in their own building,

they get to control:

• lighting
• seating
• camera angles
• entrance order

In politics, whoever controls the room often controls the narrative.

And sometimes,

the outcome too.

Now a picture of the US president with EU leaders.

See the difference for yourself.

Do we need to say which one seems more important for the US administration?

Just look at their faces.

Power Doesn’t End At The Desks

Space is occupied too.

Even the air, if they could, they’d charge us for it.

Let’s look at Russian president Vladimir Putin’s office.

You’ve probably seen how oddly long his table for the guests is.

The actual table was built in the mid-1990s by a small Italian firm called Oak, according to Renato Pologna, who runs it.

He told Reuters that it’d cost around $114,000.

Putin has a lot of those long tables.

And the guests aren’t only local politicians.

French President Emmanuel Macron

Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

were placed in the same position.

This isn’t for the aesthetic.

We’re not in COVID anymore, either.

So why?

Because physical elevation is all about authority.

Judges sit above the courtroom.

Teachers stand at the front of classrooms.

Politicians speak from podiums.

Is it really for safety?

Power rarely stands on the same level as everyone else.

You can never see a president speaking among the audience.

When you do, it’s usually PR.

And the people sitting among you,

are the bodyguards.

So the image,

“our leader is very down to earth,”

is a big fat lie.

You’ll not see your president grocery shopping at the same place as you do.

Or waiting in a line, for example.

Because authority decides.

It doesn’t wait.

The Modern Transparency Myth

This is so funny.

We’re sold another big lie.

Glass government buildings

Open offices

Rooms that are visible.

These designs communicate openness

but often do not change power structures.

You don’t suddenly become a democracy

because your building and offices are more accessible now.

This is an illusion.

A glass wall can make an office look transparent and honest.

It surely does not make the decision-making inside it transparent.

Especially if that glass is bulletproof, by the way.

Tell me if I’m wrong.

Subscribe now

We Are Being Watched

You see something unfair.

You tell your coworker.

“Shh, they’ll hear.”

She goes,

“Who?”

“The boss.”

The boss,

aka the big brother,

is watching us all.

Even in the bathroom.

Even in spaces where we’re alone.

We don’t feel safe.

Because we’re not.

As I’m typing this,

the world’s on fire, literally.

Iran attacked Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan today (March 5),

leaving 4 injured.

Back to the topic,

This is the average employee experience:

• hesitation to take breaks, even for the bathroom
• feeling watched in open spaces
• performative productivity

The term for when you pretend to work when your boss is around.

This is a real phenomenon.

It’s not a joke.

When people feel constantly monitored,

they start to regulate their own behavior.

The most effective surveillance

is the one that doesn’t look like surveillance.

And we’re all watched by it,

even your presidents.

The Hidden Rooms

You never were inside the social circle.

And you never will.

They can lie all they want.

But.

Each political institution that pretends to be open to the public

has things to hide from the public.

Such as:

• executive floors
• private boardrooms
• restricted access areas
• closed-door negotiations

It’s so cute that I used to think journalists get to see it all.

We don’t.

Real conversations are held behind closed doors.

Not in front of the cameras.

The public space is where the organization performs transparency.

The private rooms are where power actually operates.

Power used to build walls to hide itself.

Today it builds glass.

But

Glass does not eliminate hierarchy.

It just shapes who gets to be visible.

In today’s world,

transparency often applies to the people being watched

—not the people in charge.

Have you ever noticed how space works in your workplace?

Who has privacy — and who doesn’t?

Leave a comment

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

If it made you feel seen, even better.

✦ Support MPG ✦

If Money, Power, Glory gives you clarity, perspective, or language you didn’t have before — support it.

Not because you “have to.”

Because independent thought survives when it is funded.

Endnotes

If this unsettled you, good.
That means it landed.

If it resonated, you’re paying attention.

See you in the next episode of MPG.

— Zəhra

Your family left.

You’re all alone.

On your own, for the first time.

How would you act if nobody saw what you did?

What would you do if no one had a word on it?

How would you talk to yourself when the only thing in the room is you and your reflection — the shadow looking right back at you?

Because this…

This is the real you.

Why We Can’t Stop Performing

In Japanese philosophy (sometimes attributed to Chinese sources), there are three faces that belong to us.

1) The face shown to the world — Tatemae (建前)

Tatemae means “facade” or “public face.”

2) The face shown to friends and family — Honne (本音)

Honne means “true sound” or “real feelings.”

3) The face shown to no one — Kokoro (心)

There’s no official label for this third layer, but words like:

• Shinjitsu (真実) — “Truth”

• Hongan (本願) — “Original vow” / “True wish”

come close.

But Kokoro — “heart-mind” — fits this theme the most.

The last one is the real us.

The one that doesn’t need to perform.

The first layer is trying to fit you in.

Like you’re a magical shoe determined to get worn by the royals.

The second layer shows controlled vulnerability.

But it’s still managed.
Still filtered.

But the third layer…

The inner face.

It is the most raw version of us.

The true self known only to yourself when you are alone.

What do you think about this?

Tell me if I’m wrong.

Leave a comment

Are We Really Alone, Ever?

I ask myself this question every day.

Am I really alone?

Even when I pretend that I don’t care?

Am I really alone if I feel the eyes of authority on me — even when there’s no one in the room?

Are we really alone if we feel guilty and pressured?

Though the only one judging you is your cat because you forgot to feed it two minutes ago.

So I’m asking you.

All of you.

Are we really alone if the burden we carry follows our footsteps like a baby mimicking its mother?

Let me answer for myself.

No. We aren’t.

The only way out is to make peace with your own soul.

Otherwise, you will never feel at peace.

As long as there’s an audience of five in your mind —

internal shame,
an inner voice bullying you —

you will never be alone.

You can’t be.

Because it hits you.

There’s a reason so many people had a “depression phase” during Covid.

Most of us weren’t ready to face ourselves in the mirror.

It took me years.

I was literally running from mirrors
while girls my age carried pocket mirrors like their lives depended on it.

Because I wasn’t confident.

If you feel the same, let me tell you:

It does get better.

If you put in effort.

Like investing in a coin.

If you never invest, you never win.

Otherwise, you’ll wake up in your late years feeling late for everything.

Too tired to care.
Too tired to lift your finger.

But the voice inside your head will still whisper.

Pick your scenario while you still have time.

Who You Were Before You Knew You Were Noticed

I’ll go first.

I was warmer.

I loved talking to people.

I was the kid who answered for everyone and stood up for them if needed.

What happened?

People.

“Why are you talking so much?”
“What a curious kid.”
“You have a reply for everything.”

So I stopped talking.

I became the quiet kid.

Not because I was one.

But because it felt safer.

And then?

The grown-ups were mad because I was silent.

“Did your cat get your tongue?”
“Why are you so quiet?”

Shut up.

Seriously.

The audacity.

So what did I do?

I realized no matter how you act, people will find something to criticize.

So I started living for the life I actually wanted.

This time, they were mad because I wasn’t the pushover anymore.

I had boundaries.

The classmates who were friendly to me stopped talking to me after I wore the hijab.

Some respected me — especially guys around my age.

But the majority mocked it.
Tried to touch my head.
Whispered around me like I was all they talked about.

99% of the girls were supportive though.

Some had dumb questions.
None crossed a boundary.

Some thought I used to be cooler before I started covering myself.

I couldn’t care less.

I started growing.

Meeting new people.

Talking to strangers.

And I noticed something:

Our idea of people is built by our social circle.

But it’s incomplete.

When your mind is focused on the negative, you don’t see the good in the world.

I’ve had really good teachers.
And I still have really good people around me.

Good people always existed.

Maybe not around you.

But if you found yours — don’t let them go.

A good friend or partner is not easily found.

The Identity That Appears In The Shadows

Tell me.

Who is the real you?

What will I see when you’re sick and too tired to perform?

When you’re too sad to keep the mask on?

When we travel together…

When you sit at your desk writing about your day…

When you sit in silence longer than you’re supposed to?

What does the real you look like?

Softer?
Darker?
Happier?
Quieter?

More honest?

I’ll go first.

I get bolder.

Softer.

Warmer.

I yap a lot.

More nurturing.
More affectionate.

Why don’t I show this to everyone?

Because it’s earned.

Whatever you hand out for free — even kindness — is rarely appreciated.

That’s why not everyone gets to see the sun behind the moon.

Would you rather see the warmth or coldness forever, if you had a choice to pick:

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The Reality You Might Not Accept

Now think about this.

A world where you were on your own from the beginning.

Would you still pick the same career?
Dress the same way?
Post the same things?
Date the same people?
Argue the same way?
Pretend to care about the same things?

Would you?

If the answer is no —

you’re not living.

You’re performing to live.

Your identity is shaped by society.

And a society full of mimickers collapses.

When you remove the audience from your life, what’s left?

Ruins?

Or something real?

Be honest.

Like Oscar Wilde wrote:

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

―Oscar Wilde,De Profundis

Freedom vs Disintegration

Here’s the part most people will skip.

When you don’t live the thoughts you own,
your life becomes a theater.

And your audience?

They’re playing roles they never agreed to.

The wife you married because your parents told you to.

The job you’ve been doing for a decade because your teacher said it “makes good money.”

The kids you had with no intention of raising consciously.

The people you dated with no intention of building a life with.

The friends who stick to every opinion you have like puppets.

Is this the life you want?

Coming home to a place you hate every second of?

People rarely eat rotten food — unless they’re starving.

So how come they stay in jobs and relationships they don’t even want?

When we look at older people, some bloom.

They remind me of cotton — pure, light, wise.

But others grow bitter.

Because somewhere out there,
someone younger is refusing to repeat their mistakes.

And that hurts.

So listen — especially if you’re between 16 and 20.

We are relational beings.

Yes.

We crave connection.

Not necessarily a marriage contract.

But a soul to go to when things get hard.

Because identity is partly constructed through the connections we make.

That’s why I’ll never understand people who bash their partner after separation.

Violence and manipulators are not included here.

But if you pick a girl knowing she shows skin
or a man knowing he’s an alcoholic —

You can’t get mad later.

That’s like signing up for an opera and then saying,

“I don’t like opera.”

If you knew what you signed up for,
you don’t get to complain.

Pick the shoe that fits you.

Not the one you think should fit.

Survival Mode

Now let’s be fair.

Sometimes we don’t perform out of privilege.

It’s not a choice.

Like women forced to live as incubators.

Or women wearing hijab because they’re forced to.

Those forced to fight in wars they never wanted.

Women trafficked into sex work.

We don’t judge.

Not everyone has a choice.

You and I?

We do.

But women in Afghanistan, for example, don’t.

You’ve seen the headlines.

“Taliban leader bans windows overlooking places ‘usually used by women“

“‘I daren’t go far’: Taliban rules trap Afghan women with no male guardian“

“Teenage Afghan girls were banned from school - now these classes are their only option“

Freedom is not universal.

And choice is a privilege.

If you have it,
use it carefully.

A Soft Experiment

If you genuinely read my work,
and like me even 1% —

I have a favor to ask.

No.

It’s not your wallet.

You can read my work for free anytime.

Subscribe now

Here’s the deal.

Do one of these and tell me how it went:

Spend one full day without posting anything.

Say one honest thing you usually hesitate to say.

Wear something you actually like.

Try a hobby you abandoned because it felt cringe.

I started drawing again lately.

It made me nostalgic.

And it affected me positively.

Let me know how it goes for you.

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Maybe the real question isn’t:

Who would you be if no one was watching?

Maybe it’s this:

Can you let that person exist even while they are?

The identity you’d have if no one was watching
isn’t locked behind gates.

It’s waiting for permission.

“Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.”
― André Malraux