My adult son has ADHD and autism. He can’t seem to shower, clean up after himself, or do anything without being told or reminded millions of times. He’s had many years of therapy and skills sessions. He’s had far more opportunities and education that I’ve had and constantly makes excuses on doing the bare minimum.

He moved out and stiffed his first roommate and was forced to pay an excessive cleaning bill on his second roommate. He moved back home after we had to tear apart his room with how disgusting it was left (kept that video). Nothing has changed. Always an excuse and it’s just quite frankly just selfish and entitlement at this point.

So I also have a myriad of neurodivergence that I had to learn to navigate on my own. I had to create my own coping techniques because no one else was going to diagnose me or give me support in the 80s and 90s. Hell, I didn’t even really have parental guidance because I was left to my own devices young and had to take care of myself and the long ass list of chores to have done everyday.

I’m just tired that all the coping techniques in the world and all I hear are excuses from people of “sorry I’m late, I have ADHD” or “sorry I can’t clean up after myself or wipe the 💩 and pee off toilet because I’m autistic” or “taking a shower is too hard so I don’t care if my stench bothers you”.

It’s just selfish and entitlement at this point. I’m ready to be the AH parent and say “I’m sorry, I no longer can parent you. I have my own crap to deal with and I don’t have time to keep parenting you at 22”.

(He has no developmental delays or actual impediments to being a functioning adult. He’s made his own LLCs, built his own businesses, taught himself many things and did very well in school. He just can’t be bothered to basic hygiene or clean up after himself or help around the house without being told. He will watch people struggle and he just does the dead eye stare)

“lEaRn A tRaDe BrO!” I did. I went to trade school to become an electrician.

“u NeEd ExPeRiEnCe!” OK, then how can I get experience if every position requires experience?

”jOiN ThE uNiOn!” I tried, I am perpetually on the waitlist.

In 2026, there is no shortage of tradesmen. There are TONS of us trying to break in. There IS a shortage of intelligible tradesmen that are willing to pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

Stop asking people what they do for a living within 5 seconds of meeting them. Being unemployed for an extended period of time made me realize that this question comes up an insane amount of time. It’s also arguably insensitive because of the current state of the job market where I live. It’s exhausting having to explain yourself over and over again to random strangers. Allow people to disclose what they want about themselves and stop prying when you know that you’re not gonna be of any help to them in the end😬😬. Ask neutral questions and allow people to share as much or as little as they’re comfortable with. Having to switch topics is exhausting. And now I’m rude for straight up walking away from the conversation when the question comes up. This applies to many other questions too, ask yourself, is this too indiscrete to ask someone I just met 5 seconds ago?

Please stop telling us to relax. It’s not helpful.

Also please stop saying “well maybe it isn’t meant to be, you need to prepare for that” like no crap it’s not a gurantee? Is anything in life a guarantee??

Would you tell a women who recently got pregnant, “You know you might have a miscarriage, they are really common in the first trimester, so prepare for that” NO because that’s cruel.

It amazes me how people think they have such original thoughts. You don’t think everytime my period comes I think if it will ever happen?

Stop offering your kids, “Oh you can have mine!” no I don’t want them.

And stop suggesting adoption or surrogacy.

And if it was easy for you to concieve AWESOME! But why are you telling me this as I just told you in struggling?

Where’s the empathy people.

Over the weekend I was on an overseas flight with a coworker. I travel quite often and have pretty much everything I need in a carry on. He told me he started to feel ill and felt cold.

We’ve traveled together before and he knows I keep a hooded sweatshirt in my carry on. He asked if he could borrow it. I said yes, but unless something serious happens please don’t wash it and definitely don’t put it in a dryer.

I wash it by hand with cold water and Woolite Dark detergent. Then I air dry by hanging it up and use a fan. Since it is usually worn over another shirt it rarely gets too dirty.

Well he just returned it to me. It is now a size smaller and the deep black color now has a white film to it.

I said, you washed it in hot water and dried it in a dryer didn’t you? He said yeah I wanted to give it back to you clean because I was sick. I’ve had it for years and it still looked new. I told him to keep it because it doesn’t fit anymore. He sorta stared at me confused and I insisted he keep it.

I left my office to go meet with someone who was waiting.

I’ve had this hoodie for over 10 years. People really piss me off.

Rant over. Thank you for hearing me out.

With everything going on in this world I was hoping autumn would give me respite. I'm in Ohio and it is late October and it still is hot. I can't do anything outside because mosquitoes are still active and at this time I should be outside exploring and doing the things I want. October is my favorite month and I feel robbed of it. I want my cool moody days but all I get is bites and isolating myself indoors. I just want some relief and being able to enjoy myself.

My mum constantly belittles my father. Calls him worthless,tells him that he is disgusting, tells him that she never loved him and only married him because of his job. When I tell her he will feel hurt she says that he doesn't feel much.

My father on the other hand, keeps telling mum he loves her and treats her gently. He's emotionally unavailable and has never been very present , but he has never belittled her. Usually when they fight he keeps apologizing. Recently this has turned into him punching walls and other objects, while my mother usually ends up screaming in a very shrill way.

I think my mum is quite depressed, she has been showing most signs of depression. My father is very emotionally disconnected with himself, so it's difficult to tell what he's feeling.

Over time, I have stood up to my mother for behaving the way she does, and told my father to stand up for himself more. Usually this ends in both of them scolding me for not understanding that this is their way of "loving".

I don't think this is going to end well, and they seem to become worse as they age. I don't know what I should do, or if I can even do anything atp.

You’d think given that one has a curved C shaped snout and one has a narrow A shaped snout, the obvious choice would be to give the one with the C shaped snout the name crocodile BUT NO, THEY GAVE THE ONE WITH THE A SHAPED SNOUT THE NAME CROCODILE AND ITS JUST NOT OK

My dog Ponchi, has been my best friend for 14 years. 14 years of coming home to a wagging tail and excited zoomies. 14 years of runs, walks, bike rides, cuddles on the couch, learning and forgetting tricks, knowing each other so well that we know what all of each other's tones, gestures and habits mean.

3 weeks ago we went to the vet and he got a perfect bill of health. Heart, lungs, organs, blood work, all excellent! Then over the weekend, he started acting weird. Yesterday I took him back to the same vet sheepishly, expecting to be gently told that I worry too much, but instead they told me to rush him to the animal Hospital. They took a sample of his lung tissue and he has advanced lung cancer. The same lungs that were "great" 3 weeks ago.

I'm so mad. I'm mad at the young vet who saw him 3 weeks ago and should have noticed something! Or tested more! I'm mad at myself for not taking him in sooner, not pushing for more tests, for not seeing that he was in pain.

I'm mad that he's gotten sick so suddenly. He was meant to gradually become a stiff sore old grandpa, slowing down over years and then getting put to sleep when the multitude of ailments got too much. He was meant to be some ridiculous age like 22.

I'm mad because he is due to turn 15 in December. We were going to take him to the dog cafe, he was going to wear his fanciest bowtie. It was going to be adorbs.

I'm mad for not cherishing every day with him. The number of times over the years he came to me for a pat but I was busy, tired or... just took him for granted. times I went somewhere fun and left him at home because "it's too much trouble bringing a dog". I should have taken him every possible place, every day.

I'm not even mad really, I'm just so, so sad.

I asked a family member for a minor favor, that would have helped me out a lot, but only a minor inconvenience for them, and they acted like they were too busy even though I know for a fact they weren’t. Today is one of the most important days of my life, I have something really huge and personal happening today, and this favor would have been extremely helpful. I’ve helped said person before when they needed me but when it comes to helping me on one of the most important days of my life, they don’t feel like it. I’m writing this on the train trying not to cry with tears stinging my eyes. Why is life so fucking hard?

Hi,

I had a best friend till 7th std, and she moved to another city in 2013. We talked initially and then we lost contact and I have been trying to find her since then. I am good with finding people on internet. Along the years I had contacted my old school, her father's workplace archives to find his number, any profile on insta or facebook with her name, old school records, toppers of different schools in her locality, everything, but couldn't find her.
In last desperate attempt I posted on insta, and got to know she hu*g herself after one year of leaving, and I can't thinking about it. She was so ambitious, the smartest person I knew. She made me who I am today, I am doing really well in career. You know the last gift she gave me while leaving was a study lamp so I could study during light outs, the prettiest gift I had, I was living in a village. She would call and remind me to bring books and I wanted to be as smart as her. Her cousin and friends said she was acting out, she had mental illness, she was just 13, she felt she was burden on her family. How could a 13 year old feel that. I don't know who to talk about this, because people seem to not care at all. I tried to talk to my classmates and they are like ohh okay. I am not able to process this somehow. I can't find anything about her anywhere. I always imagined I would meet her someday and she would be doing so well in her life by now. Out of all the possibilities I never thought she would not get to be an adult at all. I just feel so sorry, and somehow can't stop blaming myself if only we had continued talking maybe she had someone to talk to.. maybe she hadn't felt so lonely.

I turned 26 in mid-August, which meant it was finally time to say goodbye to my parents' health insurance and enroll in my company's insurance plan.

WHAT. IN. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK.

I have been on this insurance for approximately TWO MONTHS, and I am already convinced this entire industry was designed by Satan himself as some kind of elaborate psychological torture experiment.

Let me paint you a picture of the absolute NIGHTMARE that has been my existence.

ACT ONE: THE GREAT INSURANCE DISAPPEARING ACT

I turned 26 in August. I submitted ALL of my qualifying life event paperwork. I did EVERYTHING I was supposed to do to get enrolled.

And then?

NOTHING.

Radio silence. Apparently, my paperwork was launched directly into the fucking void.

August comes and goes. September comes and goes.

MID. FUCKING. OCTOBER.

THAT IS WHEN THEY FINALLY GET ME INTO THEIR SYSTEM.

TWO. ENTIRE. MONTHS.

But don't you worry, because you know what WAS working flawlessly that entire time???

THEM TAKING MONEY OUT OF MY PAYCHECK.

OH, SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE MY FUCKING MONEY, BUT YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GIVE ME THE INSURANCE I'M PAYING FOR???

FASCINATING. TRULY GROUNDBREAKING STUFF.

ACT TWO: THE PROVIDER HUNGER GAMES

Now that I FINALLY exist in their system, I think, "Great! I can finally schedule a doctor's appointment!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Oh, you sweet, stupid, optimistic little fool.

I go to the website my insurance company provides to find an in-network doctor.

I find one! I call!

"We don't accept that insurance."

Okay. Weird. Whatever. Moving on.

Find another one. Call.

"We don't take that insurance."

...Okay?

Third provider.

NOPE.

FOURTH PROVIDER.

ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT.

FOUR. FOUR PROVIDERS LISTED ON MY INSURANCE COMPANY'S OWN WEBSITE WHO APPARENTLY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF MY FUCKING INSURANCE.

At this point, I'm starting to wonder if my insurance is even real. Am I paying for an elaborate subscription service to NOTHING??? Did I accidentally sign up for a monthly donation to some CEO's yacht fund???

ACT THREE: THE WEBSITE THAT WAS A LIE

I decide to call my insurance company.

Because SURELY there must be some kind of explanation for this.

I explain the situation, and they inform me that...

THE WEBSITE THEY DIRECT YOU TO FOR FINDING PROVIDERS ISN'T EVEN THE CORRECT FUCKING WEBSITE.

I'M SORRY.

WHAT?

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT YOUR OWN WEBSITE, WHICH YOU PROVIDE TO YOUR OWN PAYING CUSTOMERS, SENDS THEM TO A PROVIDER DIRECTORY THEY AREN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE USING???

WHO IS RUNNING THIS COMPANY???

THREE RACCOONS IN A TRENCH COAT???

So they give me a NEW website.

Okay. Fine. Wonderful. Maybe the nightmare is finally over.

ACT FOUR: THE PHONE NUMBERS FROM HELL

I go to the CORRECT website.

I find providers.

I start calling.

THE FUCKING PHONE NUMBERS DON'T WORK.

THE NUMBERS.

DO. NOT.

WORK.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO??? SEND A FUCKING CARRIER PIGEON??? COMMUNICATE THROUGH SMOKE SIGNALS??? MANIFEST A DOCTOR THROUGH THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING???

I AM BEGGING. BEGGING ON MY HANDS AND KNEES. PLEASE JUST LET ME GIVE SOMEONE MONEY TO LOOK AT MY MEDICAL PROBLEMS.

ACT FIVE: THE FINAL STRAW

By some divine miracle, I find a phone number that ACTUALLY WORKS.

A REAL HUMAN ANSWERS.

I COULD HAVE CRIED.

We start scheduling an appointment.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The heavens are opening. Angels are singing. For one fleeting moment, I believe there might actually be a God.

The scheduling lady asks for my insurance.

I tell her.

THE. LINE. GOES. FUCKING. DEAD.

...

I genuinely just sat there staring at my phone.

I HAVE NO WORDS.

NONE.

I AM 26 YEARS OLD. I HAVE BEEN AN ADULT FOR YEARS. I PAY MY BILLS. I HAVE A JOB. I PAY MY TAXES.

WHY DOES SCHEDULING A FUCKING DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT FEEL LIKE I'M TRYING TO DEFEAT THE FINAL BOSS OF A VIDEO GAME THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO MAKE ME LOSE MY WILL TO LIVE???

I HAVE JUMPED THROUGH EVERY HOOP. I HAVE CALLED EVERY NUMBER. I HAVE VISITED EVERY WEBSITE. I HAVE GIVEN THESE PEOPLE MY MONEY.

AND FOR WHAT???

FOR FUCKING WHAT???

I DON'T WANT A YACHT. I DON'T WANT A MILLION DOLLARS. I DON'T EVEN WANT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE ANYMORE.

I JUST WANT TO GO TO THE FUCKING DOCTOR.

IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK???

WHY DOES THIS INSURANCE COMPANY EXIST??? WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE OTHER THAN TO COLLECT MY MONEY AND SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROY MY LAST REMAINING SHREDS OF SANITY???

I HAVE BEEN ON MY OWN INSURANCE FOR TWO MONTHS, AND I AM READY TO FILE FOR EMOTIONAL DAMAGES.

If this is what being 26 is like, I would like to return it. I have the receipt. This product is defective.

TL;DR: Turned 26. Got company insurance. Took two months to get enrolled despite them taking my money the whole time. Their provider website lists doctors who don't accept my insurance. Insurance company tells me it's the WRONG WEBSITE. New website has phone numbers that don't work. Finally get someone on the phone, tell them my insurance, and the call drops. At this point, I am convinced my insurance policy is actually just a monthly subscription to psychological warfare.

SHUT THE FUCK UP SHUT THE FUCK UP SHUT THE FUCK UP

There's nothing wrong with using trendy terminology and expressions, but oh my god, stop with this type of shit. It's every fucking comment section, every goddamn website. SHUT THE FUCK UP. Just say something original, from your soul, your own mind! None of you grew up using these fucking terms. Be a genuine human being, stop putting on affectations and regurgitating stupid internet speak like a fucking seven year old robot child.

I don't know why it pisses me off so much. It just reads as pure inauthenticity and makes me feel like everyone else on the internet is a stupid teenager. I'm stupid too, but it's so isolating and just feels like everyone's repeating the same asinine shit day in and day out. Have some variety! Stop trying so hard to fit in. These expressions were funny for like a week. Please do something else.

This is such a dumb and stupid thing but as an adult (26f) this Is also just very annoying to have to worry about.

When my best friend (28f) and I were getting closer, we on occasion would do “group orders” on online websites just so we could get to the free shipping threshold or for some stores “she” had a higher status so she would get better benefits and would ask me if I wanted to do a group order with her. A

In the beginning I used to because it was a little more convenient and sometimes an additional 10% off is nice. So I would do that and then obviously Venmo her for my portion. But then she started to let it slip that these accounts were her mom’s accounts. I started to realize that my best friend wasn’t paying for a single thing she was ordering because she was using her MOMS CREDIT CARD. Of course I pay for my stuff because it’s my stuff I’m ordering but for some reason it feels so off for my best friend to then take my money and pocket it for herself. I know she isn’t giving the money back to her mom. So my best friend is getting all free product while making extra money off of me.

When I realized this, I just stopped doing group orders with her. It really is as simple as that but now that I’ve stopped she’s been extra pushy and is constantly asking if I want to do an order with her. I haven’t told her I knew what she was doing but I think it’s so Intresting how my own best friend wants to “scam” me for my money lol.

Its about a girl, where She is the only sane one. Everyone is insane Because she's different they assume she is insane..

I get it, I smoked pot when younger. But I don't understand people who like it when its Really a Horrifying revelation which happens in social psychology, often. Your world is "This". You come up to something against, That. Therefore, That Thing, Bad .

Everything, from kingdoms, to rudimentary racism, to religion, War. Even debate on ethics could use or relate to this .. its Horrifying. Basis for most human psychology behavior through history.

You come against something different than what you know that thing is bad, barbaric. Not sane.. Why. Why are they different, why do they act, behave that way.. oh they're " insane " .

Its horrifying, because anyone could be in one of these bubbles at any time and never know..

Because your bubble shows you, This Way. All you know, people, friends, fam, algorithm, showed you This . When you think you Know, This. Anything against that.. insane. They're crazy, wrong. Basically any bubble you live in could be wrong. But you're Very sure, it isn't.. the Other person is insane not conforming to *You.* that, is a terrifying thought.

What prevents that, qell looking at things logically, but when logic fails. Logic isn't part of the other person's world. Everything can become lost which is where things like war can start.. theu have a different framework of What is Logical, isn't tied up in fact, but facts twisted to fit a frame they live in.. which is why scientific things can be manipulated to fit the society opinion. A slave, Constantly wanting to **Run away** way seen as mental illness.. That. Insane, wanting to flee from hardship or abuse seen as wrong. Insane.. but it Waant for the time. Theu had to make something fit the framework of why they would.. "they're crazy '. Alice in wonderland. It was wrong yeah, everyone saw it as okay though kept making uo reason why til we got to now. Where its scientifically Proven black people aren't biologically less intellegent.. but the aftermath stayed from this bubble. This could be happening Now, and we don't even know it..

Science was Heavily tied in religion for a Long time.. anything going against set forms of 'known ' science went against religion. Galileo was almost burned at the steam for saying the earth went around the sun.. everyone thought he was insane, blasphemous .

Both situations, manipulating science, for society, one in religious belief. Another in racial prejudice dor cheap labor. Religion Itself, Christianity, catholics, manipulated religion to keep masses docile.. which partly was the separation of protestants.. they wanted to be able to Read, their Own bibles. Church said that was blasphemous.. Only a priest could interpret the world of God. Catholics, weren't allowed to own a bible. Theres time and time again, of people either purposely, or unintentionally being caught or caused a bubble where anything Not This, was insane. Terrible etc . Catholics were kept in a bubble, where the religion was Mandatory but they only got information from church leader, thats the only way they really knew what was even in the Bible ..protestants, wanted to read it themselves ..

..as well individual bubbles. Your personal belief, what, or how you think the world should be. Could be wrong but backed up by those around you thinking that, and your algorithm enforcing it. Your main way to the world just showing your own back at you.. It's terrifying because access to less restricted information often prevents the bubble. Were seeing less of that..

Every time, acess to more free information, not constricting science to fit society at the time, could've kept these from happening

So, what do you do.. now ..

Travel. Maybe.. travel outside your country. Outsode of resorts, Meet people, people with different opinions and Don't stay in the same place all your life. Thats a sure way to get in a bubble . And try to listen to Not angry perspectives on someone opposing to you. If you can find someone not angry in opposing belief, you might break a bubble ..thing is everyones so angry these days, so idk, who knows .. this, really is a rant ,

Seriously, I see this so much. I just saw someone say that “warm water is round and cold water is pointy, this is something only neurodivergent people understand” like no it’s not it’s a very common thing for people to associate feelings and sounds with shapes. I’ve also seen people say that if you relate other people’s experiences to your experiences in conversations that means that you are neurodivergent. That is something that literally everyone I have ever met does, it’s how humans converse. I feel like you would only have an issue with that if you were a complete narcissist and only ever want to talk about yourself.

Js a short rant

Idk if this is because people comment on her that she does it to me but sometimes it's frustrating but talking about it doesn't help because I'm not smart enough that I don't have the right words to use

Sometimes she comments on my acne and why I'm so lazy and messy,why I'm upset and moody and everything must have a reason on why I am the way I am

Maybe that's how she cares but it's eating me alive and maybe this is the reason why I am indesicive but idk

AHHHHHHHH
Okay so anyways I’ve been really “struggling” with feeling feminine. Ever since Covid all I wear is sweatpants, leggings and oversized shirts. I just looked in my closet and I don’t even own a single pair of jeans. I miss when I was excited to dress up and enjoyed a variety of styles.

I feel like I’m so bad at makeup no matter what I use and how many tutorials I watch. I feel like I do super simple makeup and even then it looks like I have nothing on but when I try and apply more product I feel like I look like a literal circus clown lol.

I’ve been overweight for years now after being bedridden from an unexpected health emergency. I’ve been working to lose the weight but mentally it’s really fucking sucked. My entire life I was playing multiple sports, known as the athletic girl and genuinely enjoyed the gym when I started college. I gained so much weight in what felt like overnight and I don’t even recognize myself. I truly didn’t appreciate being fit as much as I should have because now I feel like nothing looks good on me and the clothes tailored to my age group are made for healthy weight people (understandable because no one in their early 20s should be as overweight as me). My breasts also doubled in size which I absolutely hate because I feel like I look like a hooker and a linebacker at the same time.

If there was some kind of feminine boot camp I could ship myself off too best believe I’d pay anything LOL.

Most ambiverts like myself consider themselves to be extroverts until they meet real extroverts and see how difficult it is to form any meaningful bonds with most of them. I used to say "Man, i wish i had an extroverted friend that would be up to do anything with me." But looking at some of my friends now, i realize that i DO have extroverted friends, its just that they cant hang out with me cuz their next 14 days are booked by other people.

I've had two friends like this, one of them i dont talk yo anymore and the other, well im kinda growing tired of the other one too. These two, despite having completely different lives, circles, locations and backgrounds act the exact same way.

You call them to talk about something, they cut the call short because they gotta do something and tell you they'll call you back which they never do. Why call and not text? Cuz they respond to their texts once every full moon. They will cancel plans as late as possible, have zero empathy and hurt you without realizing.

Another thing i picked up on is that extroverts, most of the time, have zero self awareness, cant read the room for shit and on the rare occasions that they do show up to meet you, they will ruin the hangout by bringing some other people unannounced. Sometimes they will literally meet new people on the go and try to include them in the conversation!

I dont know, maybe this is my personal experience, but to this day i've known only three true extroverts, two being my friends and the third being a mutual, and they all consistently share these characteristics, literally not one difference in the way they act.

Today I feel is a chaos day. There's so much stuff happening and everything is confusing. Maybe it's just because I'm getting old but wow. I just feel like I'm stumbling through life and my joints are getting sore so it's hard to go too fast

Imagine your neighbor installs a bright light that shines directly into your bedroom at night. He tells you it's a ward against evil. When you complain that it's keeping you awake, he responds, "I don't have to justify my personal beliefs." You don't care what he privately believes. You care that you can't sleep.

Another neighbor was the first on the block to install one. His light only illuminates his own yard. "I'm just following what the brochure says," he explains. Your neighbor says the same thing, but they can't agree on what the instructions actually mean. Meanwhile, the second neighbor's light has never bothered you.

At what point are you entitled to question their beliefs? Are the beliefs still purely personal when their consequences affect you?

Now imagine your neighbor starts lobbying the HOA. Soon, everyone in the neighborhood is required to install these lights. The entire policy rests on his testimony about their evil-repelling properties and a sales brochure from 1991. When evidence emerges that the lights may actually cause headaches, the HOA refuses to reconsider.

The second neighbor asks if he can keep his light as he had it before so that it only illuminates his yard and doesn't disrupt the local insects too much.

No. The HOA president is friends with your neighbor, and most residents have already been convinced that the wide-angle lights are essential and find his interpretation of the brochure most sensible.

You point out that the lights don't seem to do anything.

"They provide a deeper kind of protection that can't be measured."

Then how can you prove they are working?

"You can't prove they aren't though."

If they ward off evil, why has the neighborhood had an uptick of break-ins and maulings?

"Perhaps their protection works by allowing bad things to happen for reasons we can't understand."

Could we at least demand better evidence before making these mandatory?

"Why are you discriminating against people who want to ward off evil? My wife's boyfriend has used these for decades, are you calling him a liar?"

Meanwhile, you still can't sleep. Your kids get headaches. You can't understand why your neighbors are so convinced, and you just want the light out of your window.

Bonus after-credits scene - The lights become so entrenched that better lighting technology is dismissed as incompatible with the neighborhood's sacred traditions. Research stalls and innovation is discouraged. The insect population, already on its knees, plummets further due to light pollution.  generations continue living under an inferior system because questioning it has become socially unacceptable. This is a caricature, but there are ripple effects.

Your neighbors are free to believe in spiritual protection and install whatever lights they want on their own property provided they respect others' rights.

When you try to impose rules on everyone else while treating the beliefs underlying those rules as exempt from scrutiny, that isn't going to work.

This should be obvious, but your right to believe in something without evidence is not everyone else's obligation to live by it.