They have been conditioned to believe that the mainstream media is evil and constantly lies to them in order to facilitate the woke communist takeover and destruction of the USA.
So it would be an understatement to say they are working from a position of willful ignorance.
The Enola Gay becomes the Elon Straight!
Or, to be the correct amount of condescending and dehumanizing, the “Elon Normal.”
Yeah of course, it is by definition coping. Zero disagreement from me. But from my perspective of trying to find practical ways to achieve a fulfilling existence, good coping strategies can be a very positive thing. Bad shit will always be there, and we all have our own unique collections of it and unique internal reactions to it.
And the spirit of this from me is to encourage others to explore what’s possible, not to say “you should X.” We all have unique minds going through unique life experiences, so it would be silly for me to try to lay out some kind of roadmap to happiness like I know you (or any other people who might read this).
It took me several years to get my head to where it is now, and that includes ongoing medication. My goal is to help others however I can, so whether that is by providing possible techniques or just convincing them that a better existence might be possible, I will take whatever I can get. Incremental improvements are a good thing, even if tiny.
And indeed a big part of that is to explore what restrictions and burdens we place upon ourselves. If people in way worse conditions than us are happy, and people in way better positions than us are miserable, there must be some wiggle room where we can find a better outcome given our own unique inputs.
I found a lot of inspiration in the philosophy of the stoics and Buddhists, plus Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. That doesn’t mean I’m going to tell you to be stoic and control your emotions, because that would be some ignorant shit. But I think there’s a general idea there that’s worth encouraging others to consider, that you may be able to pilot your brain through the craziness of life in a way that suits you better.
And like I think I said before, the “decide to be happy” platitude is important but it is only the first baby step of a long journey. Genuinely changing your emotional state is not just a simple decision, but it may be possible over an extended period of time if you are consciously working towards it and making small beneficial decisions over and over.
If I may end with another platitude that is way easier said than done, we have to play the hand we’re dealt. Not because there’s anything good about that plan, and not because that is fair, but because that is reality. I found it difficult to find contentment with my life while also wishing my life was something else. And I know that probably sounds negative and discouraging as text on a screen, but think of it more like putting your effort towards practical improvements and not wasting your energy dwelling on things you cannot change or on the inherent unfairness of life. That includes acknowledging your privilege along with accepting your burdens.
I hope something in there made sense to somebody!
Glad to have any good vibes we can get!
What I had in mind while making that comment was past stories of establishments putting blue light bulbs in their bathrooms to make it harder to find veins. :/
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/03/756976676/blue-lights-may-deter-intravenous-drug-use-in-public-spaces
Hey now, try to see the silver lining: Since we underpay our teachers and then also expect them to spend their own money on supplies and beg the class parents for the rest, that means SOME of the teachers are still there because they're passionate about it!
My son is in 2nd grade and we have had some great luck with teachers so far, but we are not a very "at risk" school district compared with the average.
Maybe some people want to stick their heads in the sand so badly, and others want to cover it up so much, that it requires a horrific image to break through the barriers and burn itself into people's minds.
Seriously this. I've been to other places that have it figured out (Sweden in my case) and it is better in every possible way.
Well, unless you are a landlord who wants the up-front construction costs of the restrooms to be as cheap as possible regardless of how it will affect the decades of use. Or if you live in a country with no healthcare and can't let people have privacy in the restroom because you're afraid they'll OD in there.
OMG, the president made a decision that set us back and hurt us? Stop the presses!
Yeah, it is harming humanity in many many more ways than a bunch of single people's relationship status.
It could be, but I imagine that a lot of nice lonely guys are suffering the consequences of the assholes that embody the first three steps.
I too struggle to believe it is possible, but I also know from direct observation that it is not only real but widespread.
This is Poe’s Law that you’re running into, where parodies of extreme views become indistinguishable from the real thing because the real thing is so ridiculous. So even if this specific example was fabricated by some random internet person, the same thought process works for millions of Americans.