My conflict with my father stems mainly from a disagreement over how "a young man should operate day-to-day". He has a worldview where only certain facial hair styles, wardrobes, degrees, career types, employers, and spouses are acceptable.

I realize I sound extremely generic but his optimal life path for me is an extremely specific one based off of his childhood experiences. His success deludes him into the assumption that only his particular environment and trajectory can breed satisfaction in life. I'm not going to go into the anthropology of it. It'd take too much space.

All I can say is that the older I grow, the easier it becomes to pinpoint the exact stressors and circumstances that cause bizarre and stubborn behaviour in my elders. I'll always love them but it leads to pity on the side.