Lies We Live By: Breaking Free from the Cultural Myths We Never Question

Introduction: The Invisible Scripts We Follow

You wake up, brush your teeth, go to work, aim higher, scroll through life, and try to "make it." But what if a lot of the things you're chasing... were never really your idea? Society has given us a script-a storyline we're expected to follow. But who wrote it? And more importantly, do you still want to act in it?

This isn’t a conspiracy post. It’s a real talk about the cultural myths we accept without question, the truths we inherit without testing, and how these shape our identity, values, and life philosophy.

Myth 1: Success = Money + Status

Let's start with the big one. Somewhere along the way, we were taught that success is a specific combo: a high-paying job, fancy title, car, house, and maybe a vacation in Bali once a year.

But ask around. How many people with all those things still feel empty inside?

This cultural myth assumes that material gain is the ultimate life goal. It’s deeply tied to society, identity, and what we’re taught to value. But success can mean different things: peace of mind, creative freedom, raising kind children, building community. Once you question this myth, you open up space for a life that actually fits you.

Myth 2: Your Worth Comes from Productivity

This one's sneaky. We glorify "the hustle." If you're not constantly grinding, achieving, producing-you’re lazy, right?

Wrong. This myth ties self-worth to how busy or efficient you are, which is toxic. Rest becomes guilt-inducing. Hobbies become side hustles. Vacations turn into content creation opportunities.

Culture celebrates burnout until it burns people out. The truth? You're worthy even when you're still. Even when you're healing. Even when you're not “producing” anything.

Myth 3: There’s a Right Way to Live

Get a degree, find a stable job, get married by 30, buy a house. That’s the “ideal” timeline sold to us.

But it’s not one-size-fits-all. For some, freelancing or building online brings more fulfillment than climbing a corporate ladder. Others find meaning outside of traditional family structures. And some people find joy in wandering, experimenting, starting over.

Life doesn’t have to follow a preset formula. That’s just culture trying to box you in.

Myth 4: Men Don’t Cry, Women Must Nurture

Let’s talk identity and gender. From a young age, boys are told to “man up” and girls to “be sweet.” These roles may seem harmless, but they become cages.

Men grow up bottling emotion. Women grow up over-caretaking everyone but themselves. These myths limit emotional expression, career choices, relationships-everything.

The truth is, emotional intelligence isn’t gendered. And nurturing isn’t only for women. Breaking these cultural patterns helps everyone live more authentically.

Myth 5: Individualism is Everything

In many parts of the world, especially Western societies, there's a strong emphasis on self-made success. Independence is the goal.

But the truth is, no one thrives completely alone. We need connection, community, support systems. This myth creates loneliness, competition, and comparison.

Culturally, we’re taught to “stand out,” but sometimes what we really need is to belong. Replacing this myth with a more collective life philosophy can reshape your world.

The Power of Questioning

Most of us don't even realize we're operating from myth. These ideas are baked into everything: media, education, family dinners.

But once you start pulling on the thread-once you question what you’ve always believed-you begin to see the gaps between what culture tells you and what feels true for you.

This doesn’t mean throwing out tradition. It means pausing long enough to ask: Do I believe this because it’s true-or just because I’ve always heard it?

Real-Life Stories

Taha, 34, Graphic Designer

Taha left his full-time agency job to freelance online. His family was against it. "You’re giving up stability!" they said. But he wasn’t giving up security-he was choosing freedom. Today, he travels, earns well, and says for the first time, he feels like himself.

Reema, 42, Mother of Two

After years of living by the book-marriage, kids, job-Reema realized she was deeply unhappy. She started therapy, explored her life philosophy, and found healing in art. Her story reminds us that it’s never too late to re-write the script.

Your Turn: How to Begin Unlearning

1. 1. Notice what makes you uncomfortable. That’s usually a sign something isn’t aligned.
   2. Write down the “rules” you live by. Who taught you those? Are they true for you?
   3. Talk to others who live differently. Exposure breaks myths.
   4. Give yourself permission to change. Your truth can evolve. That’s growth.

And: Truth is Personal

Society will always have opinions. Culture will always push a certain path. But your truth? That belongs to you.

You don’t have to follow every myth just because everyone else does. You don’t have to live a life that doesn’t feel like yours.

So ask yourself, honestly: What do I believe-and what do I want to believe instead?