What is your level of emotional response to recent current events?

brianlux

In light of all the recent events unfolding around the world (or even in your country, state, or local issues), I thought it might be good to have a place to talk about how you respond to and deal with all of these unfolding events.  The idea here to to examine and express your feelings about things, not to badger or berate each other over our differences.  We all know what those differences are and who thinks the way they do about current events we have discussed on AMT.  In other words, it's not a Biden Vs Trump, or Republican Vs Democrat, or Israel Vs Palestine, etc. thread.  Let's not go three, please.

My own take is that we are entering an increased time of ever more complex and concerning issues and my feelings/ response to all that is one of controlled concern.  I told my wife the other day that I experience a lot more anxiety over the little things-- a sore tooth, my hearing issues, worrying I might get sick, etc.-- than I do about economic collapse, widespread war, or a collapsing environment.  I have a LOT of concern over the BIG things, but only occasional minor anxiety.  I guess I'm wired that way because I can get a tooth fixed, but I can't stop a war.  But when large scale events increase in number and intensity, there are times when I find myself having feelings of despair and depression.  I'm sure some of it is information fatigues, and I'm aware of that, but when things are really cooking, I'm not always so good at "turning off the news".  I wouldn't say I have serious issues that way- my issues are more centered around being neurotic over little things that nag at my, i.e. anxiety, but I have noticed lately a greater degree of my own uneasy feelings about the big stuff.

So I thought, for those inclined to want to share these kinds of feelings, that it might be good to have a place to do just that.  Share you concerns, console others.  And I think/hope we can do that even with people with whom we don't agree on other specific topics.  In other words, this is a about coping, not changing minds or being right or wrong about any particular issue.

Please, again, let's not have this be a place to argue.  We can argue about Trump or Biden elsewhere, but we really can't/ought not to tell someone how or what they feel.  

I hope we can do this.

tempo_n_groove

Been happening for 40 years.  I'm not worried.

josevolution

It sucks the hate is everywhere! 

jwhjr17

Still just living my life, and I'm not too wrapped up in world events.

bootlegger10

Not really thinking about it.  Not sure what I would even do about it.  Fortunate to be born here in the US and not in the Middle East.  

OnWis97

I hate to say it but my response is to be numb and watch sports. Admittedly, I'm pretty ethnocentric and I don't really know a lot about the politics/history/etc. of the region. I know it's terrible, but a lifetime of hearing stories from the middle east has desensitized me. 

lastexitlondon

I can't handle any of it. I stopped social media 9 years ago . I don't watch news . Even sports I do watch have adverts and medical scare stories which I can't handle so I would say for me I'm sad and anxious about many many things I find it becomes way too much that I can't change and I feel helpless 

stuckinline

Brian,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I’ve had many conversations with friends and family about the state of the world today and where the human race is headed.
It’s not looking too hopeful.

brianlux

josevolution said:

It sucks the hate is everywhere! 

I hear you.  The amount of hate and anger in the world is disheartening. I know some of that is because the media emphasizes it, but I also get the sense that hate and anger are at a peak these days.

OnWis97 said:

I hate to say it but my response is to be numb and watch sports. Admittedly, I'm pretty ethnocentric and I don't really know a lot about the politics/history/etc. of the region. I know it's terrible, but a lifetime of hearing stories from the middle east has desensitized me. 

I think one almost has to have at least some distraction to stay sane.  I know I do.  I do what Henry Rollins calls "medicate with music".

lastexitlondon said:

I can't handle any of it. I stopped social media 9 years ago . I don't watch news . Even sports I do watch have adverts and medical scare stories which I can't handle so I would say for me I'm sad and anxious about many many things I find it becomes way too much that I can't change and I feel helpless 

Limiting TV time is something I've done, but I probably spend too much time reading news on the internet.  But today we're heading out a bit later to check out the fall colors.  Outdoor time is healing.

brianlux

stuckinline said:

Brian,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I’ve had many conversations with friends and family about the state of the world today and where the human race is headed.
It’s not looking too hopeful.

Thanks for the kind reply.  I feel the same way.

Sometime it is hard to maintain a feeling of hope when things get to the point they are today.  I have to remind myself that unless something terrible is going on that is directly affecting me, it's good to be informed, but to not go too deep into worrying.

Merkin Baller

I've been playing a lot more bass in the last two years, and spending significantly less time on social media and consuming the news.

I don't live in ignorance and am very concerned about where we're headed, but I'm also not living every moment fretting about it either. That doesn't serve much purpose besides adding to my anxiety or stress. 


I do try to be a responsible citizen in how I vote and how I treat people every day. That's one thing I can do to try to make the world a better place. 

MayDay10

I do not watch cable news.  It is bad for you.

Overall, I was pretty anxiety fueled through the early Covid days and the early days of the Ukraine War.  Right now I'm pretty fine.  

brianlux

Merkin Baller said:

I've been playing a lot more bass in the last two years, and spending significantly less time on social media and consuming the news.

I don't live in ignorance and am very concerned about where we're headed, but I'm also not living every moment fretting about it either. That doesn't serve much purpose besides adding to my anxiety or stress. 


I do try to be a responsible citizen in how I vote and how I treat people every day. That's one thing I can do to try to make the world a better place. 

You seem to keep a good balance.  Well done, good man.

MayDay10 said:

I do not watch cable news.  It is bad for you.

Overall, I was pretty anxiety fueled through the early Covid days and the early days of the Ukraine War.  Right now I'm pretty fine.  

Yeah, that first year was rough, but glad your doing well now.

Thanks for lots a good relies, all.  I'm off to go see some fall colors, hopefully get a few good pics!

benjs

brianlux said:

In light of all the recent events unfolding around the world (or even in your country, state, or local issues), I thought it might be good to have a place to talk about how you respond to and deal with all of these unfolding events.  The idea here to to examine and express your feelings about things, not to badger or berate each other over our differences.  We all know what those differences are and who thinks the way they do about current events we have discussed on AMT.  In other words, it's not a Biden Vs Trump, or Republican Vs Democrat, or Israel Vs Palestine, etc. thread.  Let's not go three, please.

My own take is that we are entering an increased time of ever more complex and concerning issues and my feelings/ response to all that is one of controlled concern.  I told my wife the other day that I experience a lot more anxiety over the little things-- a sore tooth, my hearing issues, worrying I might get sick, etc.-- than I do about economic collapse, widespread war, or a collapsing environment.  I have a LOT of concern over the BIG things, but only occasional minor anxiety.  I guess I'm wired that way because I can get a tooth fixed, but I can't stop a war.  But when large scale events increase in number and intensity, there are times when I find myself having feelings of despair and depression.  I'm sure some of it is information fatigues, and I'm aware of that, but when things are really cooking, I'm not always so good at "turning off the news".  I wouldn't say I have serious issues that way- my issues are more centered around being neurotic over little things that nag at my, i.e. anxiety, but I have noticed lately a greater degree of my own uneasy feelings about the big stuff.

So I thought, for those inclined to want to share these kinds of feelings, that it might be good to have a place to do just that.  Share you concerns, console others.  And I think/hope we can do that even with people with whom we don't agree on other specific topics.  In other words, this is a about coping, not changing minds or being right or wrong about any particular issue.

Please, again, let's not have this be a place to argue.  We can argue about Trump or Biden elsewhere, but we really can't/ought not to tell someone how or what they feel.  

I hope we can do this.

'Que sera, sera' sums it up for me at this point. Whether consciously or not, I find myself aware and accepting of the fact that I don't see a future for humanity, nor do I see an undiscovered effective means of intervention as likely. When I think about the planet or our civilization, I have overwhelming numbness and apathy (even about human suffering, which just feel cyclical and inevitable). Most of the time, and on most topics, I feel that any kind of discourse, rhetoric, support, criticism, even opinion-stating, are mostly wasteful ventures that produces nothing that could be called positive, so I don't bother.

If I do happen to be talking with someone and they have an opinion to share on sociopolitical whatever and it isn't a humanitarian-first approach, I'm consciously turning down the volume on the conversation and thinking about a song in my head instead, until I can excuse myself and walk away from it. Music is my number one outlet. If I'm not working/eating/sleeping - I'm playing bluegrass on guitar (and recently fiddle and dobro). 

Those are my methods/thoughts/coping mechanisms, to the best I can articulate. Thinking of you all and hoping you're mentally staying well

OnWis97

MayDay10 said:

I do not watch cable news.  It is bad for you.

Overall, I was pretty anxiety fueled through the early Covid days and the early days of the Ukraine War.  Right now I'm pretty fine.  

As was I. And in Minnesota, spring/summer of 2020 was a particularly tense time. I could walk to buildings that preventatively boarded up their windows. Early Covid and the post-George Floyd were quite stressful for me and it's undoubtedly because those things much more directly impacted me (as is human nature).

I worked from home and was fortunate not to lose any employment/work. Also stopped taking vacations. So as my personal time built up, my leisure time was lacking (probably should have done more stay-cationing). How did I handle it? Not sure that I did. I probably put 100 miles per week on my bike (and had the silver lining of really good weather for a long time) and I vegged out in front of the tube. 

bootlegger10

MayDay10 said:

I do not watch cable news.  It is bad for you.

Overall, I was pretty anxiety fueled through the early Covid days and the early days of the Ukraine War.  Right now I'm pretty fine.  

I gave up cable news years ago.   I try not to get dragged into pointless political debates.  Much better for it.

curmudgeoness

I'm generally numb/ overwhelmed. Our private lives are pretty chaotic/ overwhelming right now, as well.

For the moment, I'm having to... I wouldn't say *look away,* but maybe *detach* a little. The price of liberty might be eternal vigilance, but I'm not doing any good by lying awake at night, jittering. So I'm not up on the latest troop movements in Ukraine, I refuse to search the interwebs for graphic details of what's happening in Israel/ Gaza, I assume the GOP will continue to be a clown show, and who has time to keep up with all of the former president's legal troubles? It's not that I don't care -- I DO. But personal life is more than a bit crazy right now, so we're focusing on what we can control/ manage/ help.

Elon Musk is a colossal assh*le, but locking people without accounts out of Twitter might be the best thing he's ever done. Everyone in my family reclaimed more time each day than I care to admit, and our collective anxiety levels dropped significantly. 

brianlux

benjs said:

brianlux said:

In light of all the recent events unfolding around the world (or even in your country, state, or local issues), I thought it might be good to have a place to talk about how you respond to and deal with all of these unfolding events.  The idea here to to examine and express your feelings about things, not to badger or berate each other over our differences.  We all know what those differences are and who thinks the way they do about current events we have discussed on AMT.  In other words, it's not a Biden Vs Trump, or Republican Vs Democrat, or Israel Vs Palestine, etc. thread.  Let's not go three, please.

My own take is that we are entering an increased time of ever more complex and concerning issues and my feelings/ response to all that is one of controlled concern.  I told my wife the other day that I experience a lot more anxiety over the little things-- a sore tooth, my hearing issues, worrying I might get sick, etc.-- than I do about economic collapse, widespread war, or a collapsing environment.  I have a LOT of concern over the BIG things, but only occasional minor anxiety.  I guess I'm wired that way because I can get a tooth fixed, but I can't stop a war.  But when large scale events increase in number and intensity, there are times when I find myself having feelings of despair and depression.  I'm sure some of it is information fatigues, and I'm aware of that, but when things are really cooking, I'm not always so good at "turning off the news".  I wouldn't say I have serious issues that way- my issues are more centered around being neurotic over little things that nag at my, i.e. anxiety, but I have noticed lately a greater degree of my own uneasy feelings about the big stuff.

So I thought, for those inclined to want to share these kinds of feelings, that it might be good to have a place to do just that.  Share you concerns, console others.  And I think/hope we can do that even with people with whom we don't agree on other specific topics.  In other words, this is a about coping, not changing minds or being right or wrong about any particular issue.

Please, again, let's not have this be a place to argue.  We can argue about Trump or Biden elsewhere, but we really can't/ought not to tell someone how or what they feel.  

I hope we can do this.

'Que sera, sera' sums it up for me at this point. Whether consciously or not, I find myself aware and accepting of the fact that I don't see a future for humanity, nor do I see an undiscovered effective means of intervention as likely. When I think about the planet or our civilization, I have overwhelming numbness and apathy (even about human suffering, which just feel cyclical and inevitable). Most of the time, and on most topics, I feel that any kind of discourse, rhetoric, support, criticism, even opinion-stating, are mostly wasteful ventures that produces nothing that could be called positive, so I don't bother.

If I do happen to be talking with someone and they have an opinion to share on sociopolitical whatever and it isn't a humanitarian-first approach, I'm consciously turning down the volume on the conversation and thinking about a song in my head instead, until I can excuse myself and walk away from it. Music is my number one outlet. If I'm not working/eating/sleeping - I'm playing bluegrass on guitar (and recently fiddle and dobro). 

Those are my methods/thoughts/coping mechanisms, to the best I can articulate. Thinking of you all and hoping you're mentally staying well

Thank you for this thoughtful post, Ben. 

And thanks everyone.  Your words can be like the light shining through the leaves of trees in the fall:

The last of the fall colors near West fork of the Carson River, Calif. 
10/18/23

josevolution

benjs said:

brianlux said:

In light of all the recent events unfolding around the world (or even in your country, state, or local issues), I thought it might be good to have a place to talk about how you respond to and deal with all of these unfolding events.  The idea here to to examine and express your feelings about things, not to badger or berate each other over our differences.  We all know what those differences are and who thinks the way they do about current events we have discussed on AMT.  In other words, it's not a Biden Vs Trump, or Republican Vs Democrat, or Israel Vs Palestine, etc. thread.  Let's not go three, please.

My own take is that we are entering an increased time of ever more complex and concerning issues and my feelings/ response to all that is one of controlled concern.  I told my wife the other day that I experience a lot more anxiety over the little things-- a sore tooth, my hearing issues, worrying I might get sick, etc.-- than I do about economic collapse, widespread war, or a collapsing environment.  I have a LOT of concern over the BIG things, but only occasional minor anxiety.  I guess I'm wired that way because I can get a tooth fixed, but I can't stop a war.  But when large scale events increase in number and intensity, there are times when I find myself having feelings of despair and depression.  I'm sure some of it is information fatigues, and I'm aware of that, but when things are really cooking, I'm not always so good at "turning off the news".  I wouldn't say I have serious issues that way- my issues are more centered around being neurotic over little things that nag at my, i.e. anxiety, but I have noticed lately a greater degree of my own uneasy feelings about the big stuff.

So I thought, for those inclined to want to share these kinds of feelings, that it might be good to have a place to do just that.  Share you concerns, console others.  And I think/hope we can do that even with people with whom we don't agree on other specific topics.  In other words, this is a about coping, not changing minds or being right or wrong about any particular issue.

Please, again, let's not have this be a place to argue.  We can argue about Trump or Biden elsewhere, but we really can't/ought not to tell someone how or what they feel.  

I hope we can do this.

'Que sera, sera' sums it up for me at this point. Whether consciously or not, I find myself aware and accepting of the fact that I don't see a future for humanity, nor do I see an undiscovered effective means of intervention as likely. When I think about the planet or our civilization, I have overwhelming numbness and apathy (even about human suffering, which just feel cyclical and inevitable). Most of the time, and on most topics, I feel that any kind of discourse, rhetoric, support, criticism, even opinion-stating, are mostly wasteful ventures that produces nothing that could be called positive, so I don't bother.

If I do happen to be talking with someone and they have an opinion to share on sociopolitical whatever and it isn't a humanitarian-first approach, I'm consciously turning down the volume on the conversation and thinking about a song in my head instead, until I can excuse myself and walk away from it. Music is my number one outlet. If I'm not working/eating/sleeping - I'm playing bluegrass on guitar (and recently fiddle and dobro). 

Those are my methods/thoughts/coping mechanisms, to the best I can articulate. Thinking of you all and hoping you're mentally staying well

Same to you hope all is well! I need to let go of all social media outlets and TV news I’m hoping with me semi-retiring in 8 days I’ll be able to just spend time outdoors and take up an instrument! It’s never too late no? Plus I’ve got a honey do list from my wife that will take sometime for me to get through and planning on getting active exercise every day..

gimmesometruth27

i'm basically checked out at this point. i am angry at all the conflict in the world. i am embarrassed by our government and the house inability to elect a speaker to perform its basic day to day function. no news seems good, so aside from this website i try to avoid it mostly. i will snap out of it, but at this point i don't have the bandwidth for it.

brianlux

gimmesometruth27 said:

i'm basically checked out at this point. i am angry at all the conflict in the world. i am embarrassed by our government and the house inability to elect a speaker to perform its basic day to day function. no news seems good, so aside from this website i try to avoid it mostly. i will snap out of it, but at this point i don't have the bandwidth for it.

Well, damn, I have to say, "When gimme is fed up, you know the shit going on is bad." 
I get it, bud.

brianlux

I'm one of those people who tend to worry more about my own issues- broken plumbing, health issues, the cat limping, etc.- than I do the big issues of the world and domestic politics, etc., not because I don't care about the big issues (I do!) but because there is not much I can do about broken plumbing than a broken government.  In other words, I worry about the person things, and am concerned about the bigger issues.

But I am becoming increasing worried about the political state of affairs, especially with the recent appointment of MAGA Mike as speaker of the house.  I live in a conservative county in California (yes, they do exist!) and am already seeing a proliferation of hate on a local FB chat site (I only follow it to keep up with what's new around here and that site is very revealing).  I think we are now going to see more hatred from the right toward LGBTQ folks, toward anyone who isn't far right, toward elderly people, and an increased difficulty in maintaining and sense of environmental protection.  I'm also reading that there is an increase in the percentage of right wingers who are in favor of using political violence.

Maybe I'm over reacting, but my current sense is that we are moving closer to an authoritarian regime, not further.  Please tell me, if you can, that I am over-reacting.  My current feelings are very unsettling.

Halifax2TheMax

brianlux said:

I'm one of those people who tend to worry more about my own issues- broken plumbing, health issues, the cat limping, etc.- than I do the big issues of the world and domestic politics, etc., not because I don't care about the big issues (I do!) but because there is not much I can do about broken plumbing than a broken government.  In other words, I worry about the person things, and am concerned about the bigger issues.

But I am becoming increasing worried about the political state of affairs, especially with the recent appointment of MAGA Mike as speaker of the house.  I live in a conservative county in California (yes, they do exist!) and am already seeing a proliferation of hate on a local FB chat site (I only follow it to keep up with what's new around here and that site is very revealing).  I think we are now going to see more hatred from the right toward LGBTQ folks, toward anyone who isn't far right, toward elderly people, and an increased difficulty in maintaining and sense of environmental protection.  I'm also reading that there is an increase in the percentage of right wingers who are in favor of using political violence.

Maybe I'm over reacting, but my current sense is that we are moving closer to an authoritarian regime, not further.  Please tell me, if you can, that I am over-reacting.  My current feelings are very unsettling.

I don’t think you’re overreacting at all. NC with a statehouse super majority just jerrymandered 3 congressional districts likely to result in flips to repubs. Similar steps are being taken in other key states as well as repub state houses limiting the powers of secretary of states as they relate to election certifications. With a magat speaker at the helm, the Freedumb Caucsuckers were rewarded and thus far applauded by the repub party. Add Chinese, Putin on the ritz and Iranian social media propaganda and disinformation, a large portion of ignorant Muricans with the attention spans of gnats, a third of repubs fearful of the “other” and willing to trade democracy for authoritarianism and single issue dems who can’t see the forest for trees and the future doesn’t look bright. We were told that it couldn’t happen here but it is. We’re in 1934/35 Germany right about now.

brianlux

Halifax2TheMax said:

brianlux said:

I'm one of those people who tend to worry more about my own issues- broken plumbing, health issues, the cat limping, etc.- than I do the big issues of the world and domestic politics, etc., not because I don't care about the big issues (I do!) but because there is not much I can do about broken plumbing than a broken government.  In other words, I worry about the person things, and am concerned about the bigger issues.

But I am becoming increasing worried about the political state of affairs, especially with the recent appointment of MAGA Mike as speaker of the house.  I live in a conservative county in California (yes, they do exist!) and am already seeing a proliferation of hate on a local FB chat site (I only follow it to keep up with what's new around here and that site is very revealing).  I think we are now going to see more hatred from the right toward LGBTQ folks, toward anyone who isn't far right, toward elderly people, and an increased difficulty in maintaining and sense of environmental protection.  I'm also reading that there is an increase in the percentage of right wingers who are in favor of using political violence.

Maybe I'm over reacting, but my current sense is that we are moving closer to an authoritarian regime, not further.  Please tell me, if you can, that I am over-reacting.  My current feelings are very unsettling.

I don’t think you’re overreacting at all. NC with a statehouse super majority just jerrymandered 3 congressional districts likely to result in flips to repubs. Similar steps are being taken in other key states as well as repub state houses limiting the powers of secretary of states as they relate to election certifications. With a magat speaker at the helm, the Freedumb Caucsuckers were rewarded and thus far applauded by the repub party. Add Chinese, Putin on the ritz and Iranian social media propaganda and disinformation, a large portion of ignorant Muricans with the attention spans of gnats, a third of repubs fearful of the “other” and willing to trade democracy for authoritarianism and single issue dems who can’t see the forest for trees and the future doesn’t look bright. We were told that it couldn’t happen here but it is. We’re in 1934/35 Germany right about now.

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." 

And I think I'm probably right in saying that it will only get worse because right wing faux-Christian conservatives are all about breeding like rats and indoctrinating their little charges, while progressives tend to be more population conscious as well as focused on education and careers and they reproduce less often.  I can picture another generation or two down the road America being infested by clueless fanatics who don't care about what happens because Jesus is going to whisk them off to the clouds.  I've pretty much lost hope and that's just not my normal viewpoint.  But there it is.

LBCeddie

Halifax2TheMax said:

brianlux said:

I'm one of those people who tend to worry more about my own issues- broken plumbing, health issues, the cat limping, etc.- than I do the big issues of the world and domestic politics, etc., not because I don't care about the big issues (I do!) but because there is not much I can do about broken plumbing than a broken government.  In other words, I worry about the person things, and am concerned about the bigger issues.

But I am becoming increasing worried about the political state of affairs, especially with the recent appointment of MAGA Mike as speaker of the house.  I live in a conservative county in California (yes, they do exist!) and am already seeing a proliferation of hate on a local FB chat site (I only follow it to keep up with what's new around here and that site is very revealing).  I think we are now going to see more hatred from the right toward LGBTQ folks, toward anyone who isn't far right, toward elderly people, and an increased difficulty in maintaining and sense of environmental protection.  I'm also reading that there is an increase in the percentage of right wingers who are in favor of using political violence.

Maybe I'm over reacting, but my current sense is that we are moving closer to an authoritarian regime, not further.  Please tell me, if you can, that I am over-reacting.  My current feelings are very unsettling.

I don’t think you’re overreacting at all. NC with a statehouse super majority just jerrymandered 3 congressional districts likely to result in flips to repubs. Similar steps are being taken in other key states as well as repub state houses limiting the powers of secretary of states as they relate to election certifications. With a magat speaker at the helm, the Freedumb Caucsuckers were rewarded and thus far applauded by the repub party. Add Chinese, Putin on the ritz and Iranian social media propaganda and disinformation, a large portion of ignorant Muricans with the attention spans of gnats, a third of repubs fearful of the “other” and willing to trade democracy for authoritarianism and single issue dems who can’t see the forest for trees and the future doesn’t look bright. We were told that it couldn’t happen here but it is. We’re in 1934/35 Germany right about now.

Talk about overreacting.  

LBCeddie

tempo_n_groove said:

Been happening for 40 years.  I'm not worried.

Same.  I couldn't care less.  

PJ_Soul

I accepted that everything is going to hell and there is nothing we can do about it quite a while back. Capitalism is failing, religion continues to create horrors, the climate is crashing, America is jumping the shark, Russia is essentially back to acting like the Soviet Union, China is trying to take over the world, more and more regions are becoming uninhabitable, and if the water wars haven't started to happen well within the next 50 years I'll be shocked. Que sera, sera is really my feeling about it at this point to be honest, along with a healthy amount of general disgust. What I don't have is hope. But I just don't have the will to keep agonizing over it anymore. I doubt I'd feel so ambivalent about everything if I had children... and also all that is why I don't have children. The one thing I do still agonize over is women's rights around the world, because it's not too late for that.

brianlux

PJ_Soul said:

I accepted that everything is going to hell and there is nothing we can do about it quite a while back. Capitalism is failing, religion continues to create horrors, the climate is crashing, America is jumping the shark, Russia is essentially back to acting like the Soviet Union, China is trying to take over the world, more and more regions are becoming uninhabitable, and if the water wars haven't started to happen well within the next 50 years I'll be shocked. Que sera, sera is really my feeling about it at this point to be honest, along with a healthy amount of general disgust. What I don't have is hope. But I just don't have the will to keep agonizing over it anymore. I doubt I'd feel so ambivalent about everything if I had children... and also all that is why I don't have children. The one thing I do still agonize over is women's rights around the world, because it's not too late for that.

All very understandable feelings. 
I have to admit my level of hope has diminished and I'm also more prone to wanting to just stay busy and not think about it all too much.  Not doing so well on the latter, but moving in that direction.

It amazes me that we are still in a situation where so many women are struggling for rights, even to a degree in North America.  But it's especially bad in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Pakistan, etc.  This world is so damn slow to learn. 

PJ_Soul

brianlux said:

PJ_Soul said:

I accepted that everything is going to hell and there is nothing we can do about it quite a while back. Capitalism is failing, religion continues to create horrors, the climate is crashing, America is jumping the shark, Russia is essentially back to acting like the Soviet Union, China is trying to take over the world, more and more regions are becoming uninhabitable, and if the water wars haven't started to happen well within the next 50 years I'll be shocked. Que sera, sera is really my feeling about it at this point to be honest, along with a healthy amount of general disgust. What I don't have is hope. But I just don't have the will to keep agonizing over it anymore. I doubt I'd feel so ambivalent about everything if I had children... and also all that is why I don't have children. The one thing I do still agonize over is women's rights around the world, because it's not too late for that.

All very understandable feelings. 
I have to admit my level of hope has diminished and I'm also more prone to wanting to just stay busy and not think about it all too much.  Not doing so well on the latter, but moving in that direction.

It amazes me that we are still in a situation where so many women are struggling for rights, even to a degree in North America.  But it's especially bad in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Pakistan, etc.  This world is so damn slow to learn. 

It is shocking, and in the USA's case, it's moving backwards. :(

brianlux

PJ_Soul said:

brianlux said:

PJ_Soul said:

I accepted that everything is going to hell and there is nothing we can do about it quite a while back. Capitalism is failing, religion continues to create horrors, the climate is crashing, America is jumping the shark, Russia is essentially back to acting like the Soviet Union, China is trying to take over the world, more and more regions are becoming uninhabitable, and if the water wars haven't started to happen well within the next 50 years I'll be shocked. Que sera, sera is really my feeling about it at this point to be honest, along with a healthy amount of general disgust. What I don't have is hope. But I just don't have the will to keep agonizing over it anymore. I doubt I'd feel so ambivalent about everything if I had children... and also all that is why I don't have children. The one thing I do still agonize over is women's rights around the world, because it's not too late for that.

All very understandable feelings. 
I have to admit my level of hope has diminished and I'm also more prone to wanting to just stay busy and not think about it all too much.  Not doing so well on the latter, but moving in that direction.

It amazes me that we are still in a situation where so many women are struggling for rights, even to a degree in North America.  But it's especially bad in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Pakistan, etc.  This world is so damn slow to learn. 

It is shocking, and in the USA's case, it's moving backwards. :(

That is so crazy to me.  Women made such great progress for years and a lot of us men were getting our heads straight about the whole thing.  What on earth happened?

JeBurkhardt

PJ_Soul said:

brianlux said:

PJ_Soul said:

I accepted that everything is going to hell and there is nothing we can do about it quite a while back. Capitalism is failing, religion continues to create horrors, the climate is crashing, America is jumping the shark, Russia is essentially back to acting like the Soviet Union, China is trying to take over the world, more and more regions are becoming uninhabitable, and if the water wars haven't started to happen well within the next 50 years I'll be shocked. Que sera, sera is really my feeling about it at this point to be honest, along with a healthy amount of general disgust. What I don't have is hope. But I just don't have the will to keep agonizing over it anymore. I doubt I'd feel so ambivalent about everything if I had children... and also all that is why I don't have children. The one thing I do still agonize over is women's rights around the world, because it's not too late for that.

All very understandable feelings. 
I have to admit my level of hope has diminished and I'm also more prone to wanting to just stay busy and not think about it all too much.  Not doing so well on the latter, but moving in that direction.

It amazes me that we are still in a situation where so many women are struggling for rights, even to a degree in North America.  But it's especially bad in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Pakistan, etc.  This world is so damn slow to learn. 

It is shocking, and in the USA's case, it's moving backwards. :(

I watched The Handmaiden's Tale and saw Gilead and the treatment of women in it as a cautionary story.  I am convinced some see it as a "how to" manual. I raised 2 daughters and have 4 young granddaughters. I truly worry about their futures.