How I Finally Realized Life on Earth Is Mostly Suffering

And what I plan to do about it

Phoenix Huber
12 min readJan 22, 2022
Photo by Sarah Kilian on Unsplash

Saying that “life is mostly suffering” sounds pretty negative. Who wants that?

I get it, because I’ve always wanted to be a positive person myself. I have even considered myself a proud Pollyanna.

But, as I shall argue, accepting this hard truth about life can actually be the first step to a more grounded, effective brand of positivity.

When we realize how prevalent suffering is, we also see how abundant the opportunities are to help.

We can seek to reduce suffering while still making our own lives as enjoyable as possible. We can still have a fun “personality,” or good communication skills that make us pleasant to be around.

So let’s get into this. I’ll share with you my story of how I came to conclude that life on Earth is mostly suffering, and you can see if you agree.

For 28 Years, I Clung to the Fantasy of Life Being Sunshine

I grew up in the global top few percent of wealth. I was and will always be privileged.

Still, that didn’t stop me from feeling anxious and dissatisfied much of the time. Possibly most of the time?

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Phoenix Huber

Trans girl. Beyond-human ally. I unite with members of my species for all sentient beings. Free hug: uberpath@gmail. Feed me: Ko-fi.com/phxhu