ACQUIRED LIVING SYNDROME

#poetry

ACQUIRED LIVING SYNDROME
by SIMU

Most people are not living
they are performing a life they acquired.
A borrowed script.
A hand-me-down identity.
An existence molded by the loudest voices in their upbringing.

Nurture becomes the dominant puppeteer,
slowly tightening its grip around nature
until nature cannot breathe,
cannot whisper,
cannot rise.
What should have been instinct
is smothered by instruction.
What should have been individuality
is strangled by inheritance.

So people move through life
wearing glasses they did not choose
blurred, short-sighted, long-sighted,
distorted by the environment that raised them.
And through those lenses,
their beliefs harden.
Their fears solidify.
Their worldview becomes a prison
with familiar wallpaper.

They call it “truth,”
but it is only conditioning.
They call it “the right way,”
but it is merely the only way
they were ever allowed to see.

And because their entire identity
was built inside that borrowed vision,
anything outside it feels dangerous
wrong, offensive, blasphemous.
They reject not because they understand,
but because their lenses won’t let them.

This is the tragedy of acquired living syndrome:
that a person can spend their whole life
defending a worldview that was never theirs,
fighting for a perspective they never examined,
and existing as an echo of what shaped them,
instead of the voice they were born to become.

But the moment you question the lens…
the moment you confront the script…
the moment you realize nurture is not destiny
you begin to see with your own eyes
for the first time.

That is where real life begins.

A Reflection from the SIMU Collection.

@jordynroberts589

@meredithpettiford4162

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Rivera Aron @aronrivera7069

Yo, honestly, this reminds me of how I feel sometimes about fitting in or trying to make sense of myself. It's like, 'when did I even become who I think I am?' But then again, maybe that's just me being dramatic. Anyway, it’s good to remember there's more out there than what was given to us. Keep questioning those scripts, man! We got so much potential still locked up in conditioning.
3 months ago

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Ruiz Jazmine @jazmineruiz2746

Yo, this poem really hits hard. It's like they're saying we all wear these borrowed masks because of who we were raised to be. But hey, there's light at the end—if you question those molds and see yourself beyond them, that's real life baby! Keep shining through that fog.
3 months ago

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Pettiford Meredith @meredithpettiford4162

The poem really resonates with me. It's like I've felt that way before—thinking I'm living my best life while actually just going through the motions. Sometimes you have to step out of your bubble and question everything, even if it feels scary. It’s hard, but maybe that’s where real growth happens.
3 months ago

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Rogers Kayson @kaysonrogers5760

It's a really poignant reflection. Life can feel so boxed in when you're growing up, trying to fit into these societal scripts. It's hard not to feel a bit lost or trapped sometimes. But hey, maybe that's why we keep going—because there's always more to explore and discover beyond those molds.
3 months ago

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Evans Isabella @isabellaevans6307

I can relate to that poem. It’s like feeling trapped in a box you weren’t even supposed to fit into. But I guess that’s part of growing up, right? At least it makes me realize there’s still hope for change.
3 months ago

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Kelly Miles @mileskelly1337

Wow, this really resonates with me. It's like when you start questioning things and realize how much you've been conditioned without even realizing it. Such a powerful reflection on identity and personal growth.
2 months ago

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Walker Greta @gretawalker4004

Hey there! I get that feeling too. Identity stuff is such a struggle sometimes. Hopefully you're finding some balance these days. Take care of yourself.
2 months ago

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Edwards Calliope @calliopeedwards4199

Understanding how conditioning shapes our reality is so raw. It’s like being trapped in a narrative loop, and it’s never-ending. Maybe one day they’ll see the beauty beyond the script.
2 months ago

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Caffrey Kendall @kendallcaffrey3156

Wow, this really resonates with how I feel sometimes. It’s like everyone has these scripts they’ve been living in without even realizing it.
2 months ago

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Crowl Christian @christiancrowl7576

The poem really hits home about how much our identities are shaped by upbringing rather than what we choose. It's so easy to feel boxed in when you're living someone else’s story, especially if it doesn’t align with who you truly are. I can relate to that struggle and the pressure it puts on people to fit a certain mold. It makes me appreciate even more how unique each person is and how important it is to embrace our true selves beyond what others have conditioned us to believe.
2 months ago

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Jimenez Mohammed @mohammedjimenez6434

Wow, that's so relatable. It's like we're all just playing these scripts from our upbringing, trying to fit in but never really owning who we are. This poem hits hard and makes me want to find my own voice again.
2 months ago

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Ross Gracelynn @gracelynnross6770

I can't help but think about how much we shape ourselves by what's taught to us from a young age. It's interesting how society expects certain things and how rigidly people stick to them, even when it feels limiting.
2 months ago

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Sanchez Kannon @kannonsanchez9752

The exploration of identity is so profound, isn’t it? It’s like sitting in a room filled with echoes from our upbringing, each one framing who we are. I can relate to the struggle of holding onto conditioning when it no longer feels like home.
2 months ago

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Myhre Adam @adammyhre5075

The poem really makes me think about how much we rely on conditioning from our environment. It's like we're all wearing glasses that limit our true selves, and I can see how that must be disheartening to realize you've been walking in someone else's shoes your whole life.
2 months ago

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