• 15 Posts
  • 254 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
cake
Cake day: May 17th, 2024

help-circle






  • As a liberal in most ways (except on guns), and as a pro 2nd Amendment LGBT American, I’m sorry.

    Many of us have “evil fatigue” and “ignorance fatigue” and are just exhausted from how many people in our country are total shitheads.

    The list of people for me to apologize to: -dead people in Gaza -alive people in Gaza -all Latinos -all transgender people -Canada -all scientists -intellectuals at Harvard -Ukrainians -Women who were killed due to abortion policies -Anyone in a country killed due to a sudden lack of aid without much warning to even prepare

    As a mostly liberal American, I just don’t know where to begin. I also think bad environmental policies are going to destroy the planet, and when I look at conservative middle America and how intolerant and racist their values are, I am sort of like “well, maybe total planetary extinction isn’t that bad”

    I just don’t know if I could change it at this point, if there’s anything I could do.

    The constant horror of the policies being enacted in this country is so terrible, that it’s hard to really continue to say “sorry, we don’t all believe this!” Some people protest, some don’t, but really many liberals are also just treading water psychologically. It’s quite possible that the fatigue being felt is being intentionally induced.

    There may be a way to get past the fatigue, but it’s being combined with financial stress, and for me, apologizing to Canada, standing up for Canada, is just not on the top of the list.

    I really do not see what is happening as a conservative revolution. I see this as the self-centered wealthy class realizing they can exploit white trash and technology to destroy the middle class and create a permanent underclass and them. I do not think JD Vance Trump Thiel etc are actually religious, I think it is this final push towards neofeudalism.

    It feels like it will unfortunately lead to either communism/socialism or neofeudalism, that there isn’t a middle groud.

    The neo-feudalists have made a bet: the white trash class is so numerous and so hateful towards transgenders and Latinos and “the other,” that they can simultaneously eliminate many jobs using tech, reduce social services for poverty, and create a new Chinese-style of quasi-authoritarianism in America based on technology ans biometric information… And they can do this as long as they distract the white trash class with tricks and diversions: oh! Look! Mexican criminals! Look over here! Oh no! Transgenders in bathrooms! Look over there!

    And so far, the magicians seem to be right. The yokel white trash of middle America, well over 60 percent of the country, is too stupid to realize they are being tricked by a magician.

    So, many middle class people, and lower middle class people, especially technological enthusiasts, see what is happening. But what now? I’m exhausted. I do not know how to reason with idiots. I am just trying to brace myself for impact.













  • People who are depressed often are unable to adhere to unwritten cultural social rules.

    People in theory like to see themselves as supportive, but still will not react well to people violating unwritten cultural norms.

    Example:

    “i am so sad, this awful thing happen.”

    “Don’t worry bro, it will get better, just pump iron and time will heal all. Hey do you want to see a funny video of my dog trying to bark at a roomba?”

    (Awkward silence, breaking social rule of reciprocity) (long pause) “sure…”

    (Video of dog)

    (No laughter or comments, breaking rule that friends are supposed to be fun, react to things)

    Result: next time depressed guy calls, “bro” will be too busy to pick up

    Because people want to think of themselves as reliable and always there and supporting mental health, “bro” will never admit to himself the reason he is doing this, nor will it even be logically articulated. Instead he’ll think “i feel bad but im so busy lately” and just not take the call or forget to answer

    This is completely in contrast with someone who is slightly depressed or dealing with something slightly difficult but not actually that depressed and able to adhere to social norms. For that person, they will get tons of superficial sound-bite support in between other normal acceptable activities and conversations. The “supporter” feels like a super hero for caring about mental health, and really it’s just two people hanging out, neither of whom really have major mental health issues.

    I would suggest if you are really brutally clinically depressed, do not interact that much with your network until you are feeling a bit better because people are that shallow sometimes. Instead, do things like volunteer at community organizations in which more hands on deck is good, and if you cancel it’s not a big deal. (ie making food for homeless people)

    Also the truth is many people are shitty in general. I don’t think this is something caused by you. I also think that much of the advice about mental health and depression is about making paychiatrists and mental health professionals look good and people feel good.

    things like “talk about your mental health issues” and “help is available” and “prioritize mental health” all feel like lies that make other people feel better. But what if instead the truth was told? “Prioritize having food and being able to pay rent. Do not talk about your mental health issues ever except to trained professionals. Help is available and horrendously expensive; if you can cry and be sad 6 months and then go back to normal without rip-off doctors and professionals, you are much better off.”

    So it’s not you at all. People are assholes and the mental health industry gives lucrative self-serving advice to glorify and protect the industry while screwing over people who would be better helped by the truth.