It's
normal to feel uncomfortable and even ill when faced with evidence that
we've been living with false assumptions and beliefs our whole lives.
Especially when those beliefs are about ourselves and the people around
us; who we are as persons, who others are, and how we fit in the world.
If we've been taught that we were born with certain qualities and
privileges that others don't have, we tend
to base our identity and security on those things. Finding out it
wasn't really true may be so difficult to take that we may become angry,
defensive, or flat out deny that it's possible. It's really a shame
that so many children are raised being taught false beliefs about
themselves and others, since learning the truth after years of having
internalized those beliefs can actually be traumatic.
