Single Review: The Way I Was Raised by Bennet Elliot
"The Way I Was Raised" is a poignant, introspective look at the quiet burden of generational habits and the emotional cost of conflict avoidance. Bennet Elliot explores the friction between how we are taught to behave and the internal reality of living with those lessons. The song excels in its relatability, specifically targeting the "people-pleaser" psyche. It captures the exhausting nature of maintaining composure at the expense of personal resolution. The lyric "Feel emotionally stunted at sixteen" highlights a disconnect between chronological age and emotional maturity caused by suppressed feelings. The chorus serves as a fatalistic anthem, suggesting that behaviors like "keeping it all in" are hardcoded into one's DNA. Elliot uses clever imagery, such as needing "a new pair of scissors" for cutting ties and describing life as "hide, don't seek", to illustrate a life lived in retreat. Sets a somber tone, esta...