I look back over history and see that every system of social organization ever was rigged against the people at the bottom, and then I look further back into nature and see that nature is literally trying to kill you all day every day, and I just take it as par for the course.
Our current system is less rigged against me than would be literally any other system under which I might have lived at any point in the past. I’m more free and supported than almost any other human who has ever lived, and for that I’m grateful.
I guess you could say I deal with it via the deliberate choice to be grateful, and to ignore the people who think I’m foolish for being grateful.
My mental health is certainly better than it would be if I chose to be bitter and resentful of the facts of existence.
Being surrounded by hostile forces that want to exploit and eat me is just part of existence. I am also surrounded by forces that want to nurture and assist me. I focus on those.
The ideal is to be capable of fighting a war, and capable of laughing in easy joy at the same time. Why? Because existence is war, and war is dreary and miserable if it’s the only thing that exists.
Elie Wiesel wrote in Night about finding freedom while strapped down to a table being tortured by concentration camp guards. It’s hard to find a scenario in which a person is more fucked. But it was there that he discovered the freedom of his spirit. If he can be free in that situation, I can be free in this situation.
deleted by creator
Underwork when I can
Yes 🐸
That’s one way to hurt the parasite’s profit.
Another way is to be a discerning consumer.
Owner class exploits us on both sides, the fight has to be fought on both fronts as a wagie and as consoomer
You are asking mostly nazi Ukrainian supporters, for a war where actual success of nazis, means nuclear strikes on USA.
Let’s just say Lemmy is incapable of unsticking head from ass. Militarist nazi diminishment of russia, but with higher minimum wage and healthcare? Sign them up
I submit to it while kindling a fire inside. For the rest of the day escapism. Everyone is just doing escapism.
I’ve been looking for a mutual aid organization to join and looking into what it takes to get a gun in my state. Bleak, I know lol
Every day is a step towards my plan leaving this country and going back to Korea
Quite frankly, a big part of managing the stress when looking at the macro-political situation and how that intertwines with the macro-econonics and fucks up the microeconomics of households, is to not dwell on it. Too much doomer content bringing you down? know when to stop consuming and do something else. There’s a point where you cannot change it and making yourself depressed thinking about it too much is just going to make your own life shittier.
I also work hard to find the best path to survive, thrive and live my best life. Sometimes that means taking some time to learn the rules of the game that’s set up so you don’t dive head first into the pitfalls that are setup for those who don’t pay attention to the rules. Learn more about the big scary words at play as you sign up for an insurance plan, and what they mean. Learn about interest (both on your debts and your funds) and how interest plays into your finances, how to budget and figure out what you can afford, and how to financially improve upon your previous choices that occurred either due to lack of knowledge or due to making the least bad decision available to you at a given point in time.
But also make sure to find joy and happiness in a bunch of different timescales to both be happier and improving yourself so that no matter how mundane your life is, you have sparks of joy to keep you always looking forwards to something:
- Small affordable indulgences, be that a yummy food like a small block of aged cheese, or maybe a small lego set or a small game. Whatever makes you happy that you wouldn’t normally spend on
- Take a moment to appreciate something in your environment. I like to take a minute to look at the stars every time I’m outside at night, but also actively take in the trees and patches of woodland and how they’re currently reacting to the weather. If you can keep a small plant, just checking in on your little potted plant every day can bring its own joy in caring for your little buddy
- Find a creative outlet, no matter how much you suck at it, just find something you can make that you enjoy making
- Pick something fun you can look forwards to at all times that’s just around the corner. A club that meets monthly to do a hobby you enjoy does well. I then try to also make sure to find some excuse to get together with friends and spend a little more money than I otherwise would every few months so its extra special and I can really look forward to those get togethers.
- Start exercising regularly. Your body was made to move, and making sure you’re actually using your body and pushing your muscles a bit 3-5 times a week is amazing for both your general health but also your mental health too. Take a walk, ride a bike, make a fool of yourself on a dance floor, struggle to do a pushup/pullup. It doesn’t have to be structured, just something to actually move your whole body throughout the week and actually use your muscles
TL;DR STOP DOOMSCROLLING AND GO POKE SOMETHING WITH A STICK…it might even be a little fun
I appreciate this comment.
I think about how much worse it would be if I was in another paradigm where even expressing such an opinion would get me punished, jailed, or killed, then go on with my day.
Cannabis and passive suicidal ideation
Edit: And if you’re like me, make sure you call 988 and talk to someone. That’s what I had to do earlier today, and this time it was actually kinda helpful.
My stupid body took the cannabis away from me, now all I have is the passive suicidal ideation… It’s also my retirement plan! Good ol’ 40
9mm1kIt’s also my retirement plan! Good ol’ 40
9mm1kJesus Crist! I get wanting to overkill serving yourself a Kurt Cobain breakfast special, but where the hell did you even find a 409mm gun? Do you own a battleship?
We all own many battleships in America! The trick is having them let you on board at the right time. Lol
I just like thinking about it, ya know?
The only freedom i have left in my life is deciding when I die, so i get to feel a little free whenever i decide that today isn’t the day…
I don’t want to overstate this, but some liberation can come from within.
Yeah, we all have to play their game, but internalizing the values our sick society places on us is optional. Make peace with the things you alone cannot immediately change. Resist in the small ways you are able, find joy where you can, and do what you can for the people you care about. Free your mind and your ass will follow.
Pretty much stop consuming garbage politics from the internet and everything gets better.
Everything?
That’s correct.
A man of privilege
I go to work, enjoy my hobbies, support my family, and drink a lot.
Username checks out
I act like this is not a drill. We’ve put together an emergency kit. We have a reverse osmosis water filter. I’ve been stockpiling seeds, personal care items, first aid supplies, and shelf stable food. I spend my time reading, playing board games and doing puzzles with my spouse. We’re spoiling the heck out of our pets. Trying not to spend money unless absolutely necessary. Towing the line between staying informed and doom scrolling. Some days better than others.
I should probably be more active. I shouldn’t drink at all, but I still do on occasion. I should be eating healthier and engaging in my community. But I only have so much energy and to be honest I’m barely holding on. Secretly praying for a Hail Mary because I can’t believe this sham of an election is going to go through. I just can’t.
Weed.
Eventually it stops working. I’ve been blowing through ounces faster than I ever have, feel like I barely get high anymore
Same here. I’m actually forcing myself to stop. It’s expensive and I get high for shorter and shorter times. I’m trying to make it to spring, but we’ll see.
I’m literally just trying to make it to sunset lol I was growing for a while which made it worse. The weed was basically free so I was just smoking joints all day
Yeah that’s the dopamine receptors burning out alright
I organize and build relationships in my community. Everyone has something to offer and something they need. It isn’t always immediately obvious what those things are, so it’s nice to have an existing network when you figure it out. Get together. Have potlucks. Share your skills, knowledge, tips, tricks and resources.
I doubt you actually do any of that. Lovely vague community esque language. Oh have a potluck and effect great societal change! Give me a break. Hapy olidays!
I mean, I can’t prove it to you so you can just believe it or not. I definitely didn’t mean to imply that I’m making some “great societal change”. That’s not an attainable goal. The question was about how I deal with the state of the world. For me, my anxiety was peaking in the early days of the pandemic and the political situation in the US. I was just doomscrolling all day. Finally I decided that I just needed to do something/anything. I contacted a local mutual aid group in my area and started helping distribute hot meals around my area. I did that for about 2 years, twice a week. I have gone on to do more organizing (food, politics, skill shares) with some of the people I met there, and have expanded my network of like-minded friends. It has helped my mental health immensely.
How dare you not wallow in cynical misery.