cringing at your younger self is just being a bully to yourself and shows how little people think of children

(is this still related to autism? I'd say raging about cringe culture is still tangentially related, but idk. how off topic is even allowed here? all the nt subreddits suck though. either way, random fucking rant)

I hate cringe culture so much. Jfc, just let people do and say and think and like and whatever whatever they want. Absolute fucking bully behavior, nothing else. And what gets me the most when people do it to themselves, especially their younger selves. Sometimes you'll see it in a form that almost puts on a thin veneer of seeming accepting and ok with the "cringe", like "part of growing up is looking back and laughing at all the cringe things you did" or "we all feel shame for the things we did as kids, that's normal". Wtf, no it's not!?!? Or at least it shouldn't be!?!? I get self-deprecating humour, I love it, but in most cases I've seen, that really doesn't seem like that's it right now. It's often way more like assholes hiding behind "just a joke, bro".

Why is this type of self-hatred so normalized. Why is there so little fucking kindness in the world that you can't even be kind to yourself. Imagine saying this shit not about yourself, but to someone else, to a child. Yes, maybe some of the things you did or said as a child might seem stupid to present you, but ffs, you're a child, you're a beginner at life. It also speaks of so much hatred and disregard for children, such a dismissive and condescending way of viewing children. You weren't stupid back then, you weren't cringe, you were young, you were literally new to life. Would you have the same reaction at someone that's trying out a new hobby, starting a new job and has "stupid" beginner questions/opinions or making "dumb" mistakes!? Children are beginners at being alive, for fucks save, give them a little fucking grace. Did the things you cared about not bring you joy back then, even if they seem unimportant to you now? Are the stupid questions you asked not part of the reason you know better now?

(and disclaimer before people start saying "but some things are genuinely cringe"/"some things should be shamed", yes and no, depends on the definition of cringe. if you can't point to why something is bad beyond it being "cringe", then there's no actual reason for it to be cringe. cringe is a reflex reaction to point out things that might potentially be bad, but to confirm you'll have to use at least two brain cells for a couple of seconds (not a scientific explanation, just my crackpot way of viewing it). asshole behavior can make you cringe because it's asshole behavior. "weird" but probably harmless but also potentially manipulative behavior can make you cringe because it's potentially manipulative. silly harmless but non-socially conforming awkward behavior can make people cringe because society indoctrinates people into being hateful assholes that have to shame and bully anything that doesn't conform and I guess that too counts as a reason you could point to beyond "cringe" but it's a dog shit reason and if you genuinely agree with it, go fuck yourself)