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# Are They *That* Bad?
It’s a question we hear constantly—sometimes spoken out loud, sometimes whispered internally, sometimes absorbed unconsciously through headlines, social media posts, or overheard conversations. The word *they* changes depending on who you are, where you live, and what you’ve been taught to fear, distrust, or criticize.
They could be:
* A group of people
* A generation
* A profession
* A trend
* A habit
* A place
* A system
* Even a version of yourself
The question sounds simple, almost casual. But beneath it lies something much deeper: **how we form opinions, how narratives are built, and how easily perception becomes reality.**
So let’s slow down and really ask it.
Are they *actually* that bad?
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## The Power of “They”
It’s vague enough to feel safe and specific enough to feel convincing.
“They don’t work hard anymore.”
“They ruined everything.”
“They’re dangerous.”
“They’re lazy.”
“They’re selfish.”
“They don’t care.”
Notice something important: *they* are rarely individuals. They are almost always a group.
And once people become a group, nuance disappears.
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