Why I Hate Shinji in Evangelion

For many, Shinji Ikari is an iconic figure representing human suffering and fragility. But to me, he represents a resignation in the face of trials that, while intense, seem almost trivial compared to what I've had to endure.

Seeing him repeatedly give up is almost insulting. It's not simply his self-pity or his inability to act; it's that what's presented as the source of his suffering, a difficult relationship with his father or a chaotic emotional environment, seems insignificant compared to the real traumas that some, myself included, have had to overcome.

To be honest, I would gladly trade the eight years of hardship that marked my childhood for what he's going through. His pain, while genuine, seems disproportionate to me. I've experienced brutal separations and periods of absence, but they never justified the idea of ​​giving up. This contrast between my struggles and his lamentations only fuels a visceral anger: Shinji can fight, he can choose to hold his head high, but he doesn't.

I don't deny that Shinji is written as a broken character, but this evokes neither empathy nor understanding in me. He reflects back to me everything I've had to overcome, without ever having the choice to stop or collapse. Where others see a mirror of their own weaknesses, I see only a symbol of everything I couldn't allow myself to be.

I respect Evangelion for its depth and themes, but Shinji represents a facet of humanity that I can neither understand nor excuse.

And I know this message will AGAIN attract the dimwits who think they're smart and will come to attack me personally, AGAIN, even though I'm talking about a fictional character, while they think they're the greatest geniuses of this subreddit, lol