With the way the world's going, is there even a point to anything anymore?
Climate is fucked, animals continue to go extinct even more, our money will be worth nothing the coming years… What motivation do I even have to care to keep going? The world is ran and basically owned by corrupt rich people, there’s poverty, war, etc. It makes me sick to my stomach the way to world is. So I ask, why bother anymore?
I think it has always been like this. We have always been on the edge of progress or total destruction. You may want to watch the Oppenheimer movie as the fears we have now about end of the world, were the same then, maybe even worse.
Throughout history people have worried about the end and while they are not wrong to have concern as there are just so many vectors to take us out, some self inflicted, we have survives and thrived. Fearing the doom scenario seems normal but we have been doing for so long despite doing so well on so many key metrics overall that I think this reality needs to be the focus. Although, I did read a paper once that said worry is just mother-natures way of ensuring we avoid bad things by making them uncomfortable. Maybe we all need to lean into the uncomfortableness as it will come to us sooner than later anyways.
That's how I've been feeling for years now, intensified with the fact that there's not enough being done even as things escalate faster than expected. As someone with lifelong anxiety and depression, what I've learned is to not focus on my own helplessness and lack of self-worth, but instead what I can do and contribute in any little way to any person or creature. It's up to every one of us to give our own life meaning, and I'm trying to choose kindness.
While climate is new, corruption among ruling classes is a story as old as civilization.
Was living ever motivated?
Well, one of the differences between now and then is the access to bad information.
If you were living in a village and a village far away from you was all killed off, maybe you’d hear about it eventually.
Today, you’d be able to see photos the same day.
So online access is overstimulating your “wow this is screwed” circuitry in ways you wouldn’t have experienced decades, centuries, millennia ago.
Maybe a bit of a break from online news would be helpful.
The world has always sucked and had issues. But you were just way less likely to be constantly aware of it.
If anything, the past few years show some incredible promise for things changing in terms of corruption among ruling classes, even if the climate is long term going to completely screw us.
But humanity was never going to last forever, and whether or not you are part of the last hurrah for the species shouldn’t necessarily detract from your experience in the here and now of it.
Find your own meaning and path on a relative basis, and be less caught up in existential dread, especially given there’s little benefit to absorbing yourself in the latter.
Our lives, too, have meaning beyond these issues. The relationships we form, the joy we find in our passions, the simple pleasures we get from a beautiful day or a good meal - these things matter. They give us strength to face the larger problems of our world.
And in the face of these problems, we can find a purpose. Many people find fulfillment in dedicating themselves to fighting for a better future. Whether that’s in climate change activism, social justice, or just in being a kinder, more understanding person, we can all make a difference.
I wonder about this sometimes. Things aren’t great and will get worse before they get better at the very least.
I figure that even if the world is ending and there’s nothing I can do about it, I can still do small kindnesses whenever possible. The question is how small to go for maximum effect.
There are real problems, but be wary of news/social media that use doom & gloom for engagement. Algorithms will drown you in the most extreme takes, even when on the “right side” of real issues.
Just try to do the right thing, and don’t let the internet scare you into not living your life.
Every single action you take ripples outwards to the people around you and on in to future generations. You matter just as much as every living thing on earth and in the universe. If you accept the suffering that is inherent in existence and aim towards being the most innate and true version of yourself, you will get the most meaning and consciousness out of life. We are an interconnected, trippy, murderous, loving, intelligent, massive group of apes all experiencing each other's psyche together. The world wants and needs you to love yourself.
Climate is fucked, but regarding everything else the world wasn’t a utopia back then either. Poverty, war, corrupted overlords, etc have always existed.
Life has been pointless in the grand scheme of things and unfair, and been up to each individual to try and find
My parents lived with the threat of nuclear annihilation, my grandparents fought in ww2. My gg parents lived through ww1. Most of everyone before them lived in relative poverty.
I'm not sure id take any of them over the current situation. Certainly there are massive problems looming that will cause lots of suffering, but humans do find joy and purpose at all times
Rich people don’t want to sell their stocks yet. So we all can’t act like adults and admit everything is fucked or their fake assets will start to lose value before they’ve convinced you to become so invested in the charade that you’re willing to buy them.
It’s up to you to give your life meaning. Just because things suck, doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. Imagine the Bronze Age humans, who were getting killed over idols and and some random warlord’s whims. They persisted in the face of adversity so we exist today. Imagine the lives of the enslaved, raped, and oppressed native Americans and Africans in the face of Spanish rule in South America. They persisted with no clear future freedom in sight.
I could go on about humans facing horrible situations but my point is this: throughout history we have always faced a dark situation as a result of other human actions but we always found a reason to persist… or even fight back.
Exactly. In my current state persistence is key. The question “When do you want to give up the fight?” is a good one. Im hoping that everyone can get a world where they feel mostly happy. Things might go bad quickly but it’s important to remember the small things and create happiness for yourself, even if temporary (it always is).
Shit sucks; deal with it. Also you know be cool to people and they’ll be cool back.
Jokes aside... This is my personal philosophy & probably won't align with everyone's. As someone who started science quite young, I realized quite early that beyond societal issues, literally nothing is "meaningful"... If Earth itself will be gone in a few billion years, might as well practice some optimistic nihilism and do some stuff with whatever life I have. There's still stuff to do even if society doesn't prioritize ppl like me
@yuunikki please schedule an appointment with a therapist because you are demonstrating signs of depression in your post/comment history. The internet is not qualified to be your therapist.
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