Hi Maria, Thank you for adding your experience to the conversation. I haven’t heard any like yours before.

But I would argue that your anecdote about your great aunt, though absolutely terrible, is just that — an anecdote. One unfortunate thing happening to one unfortunate person is not a widespread societal pattern. I think a lot of people are tempted to argue the exception as the rule when something awful personally impacts them or someone they love. But as you said, in your family history — “only one”.

We have to be careful not to overestimate the ubiquity of our own experience.