How do you deal with the world and the depressing news?

musicismylife78

Over Iraq, global warming, the economy etc...

Its hard to fathom and comprehend whats going on. All the death and violence. The 12,000 suicide attempts by soldiers coming back from the war. How screwed up the war made them...

I just cant fathom it...

My solution the past year and a half was to go from reading, watching, listening to only political stuff, to doing none of that now.

I feel better about myself. I used to feel pissed off and like my day was ruined at 9am or whatever, when I would read the news and 2 more dead soldiers would be the headline. it ruined my life, and my day.

So I turned it all off. I listen to mostly emotional, personal issue related music. I read mostly personal emotional books, I watch non political tv shows. My favorite shows like Scrubs, the Office and Lost are non political.

My solution to the world seems to be to turn it off, and not deal with it. Deal with my own issues, my own crisis.

I still care about the war and what not, but at this point, 1 and a half years into my boycott of political stuff, I have no signs of stopping and changing. I volunteer at a local social justice organization, and attend a protest every so often, but it seems to me, the only response to whats going on right now, is to start your own world, start your own way of living. Just live it.

Commy

I think it might be a good idea to remember those that have come before us and given us so much.

The 70's did not just see the end of the Vietnam war. Workers had been resisting for a century before that. They gave us most of our labor laws today, from a minimum wage to overtime pay to a 40 hour work week. To workers comp to employer accountability to environmental conditions. If they had given up none of these things would be ours today.

The class war is constant, if we don't fight on the lower end, they win on the upper. It is a constant struggle but one we must all wage, if not for us then for future generations.

I hear ya though man, its easier to shut it out. That's common. So is alcohol. So is drug use. Anything to distract us from what really matters. And that is what this class war is about. What we are willing to do for them, and what we are willing to submit too.

Jeanie

Fact is the way technology is these days we know about all kinds of hideous things that we wouldn't normally know about almost as soon as it's happening and an update every 1/2 in the media about all the suffering going on in the world is psychologically damaging for anyone. Fact is that these things have always happened and we can't do anything about so many of them. I have no problem filtering the media now because it's just not good for my mental health.

I read, and I filter what I can't deal with. I also make sure to do whatever I can about the things I can change. It's really all anyone can do.

JOEJOEJOE

radiohead33 wrote:

Over Iraq, global warming, the economy etc...

Its hard to fathom and comprehend whats going on. All the death and violence. The 12,000 suicide attempts by soldiers coming back from the war. How screwed up the war made them...

I just cant fathom it...

My solution the past year and a half was to go from reading, watching, listening to only political stuff, to doing none of that now.

I feel better about myself. I used to feel pissed off and like my day was ruined at 9am or whatever, when I would read the news and 2 more dead soldiers would be the headline. it ruined my life, and my day.

So I turned it all off. I listen to mostly emotional, personal issue related music. I read mostly personal emotional books, I watch non political tv shows. My favorite shows like Scrubs, the Office and Lost are non political.

My solution to the world seems to be to turn it off, and not deal with it. Deal with my own issues, my own crisis.

I still care about the war and what not, but at this point, 1 and a half years into my boycott of political stuff, I have no signs of stopping and changing. I volunteer at a local social justice organization, and attend a protest every so often, but it seems to me, the only response to whats going on right now, is to start your own world, start your own way of living. Just live it.

I often ponder the state of the world. It is so different then 10 years ago.

There are so many hardships in the world..Iraq, the earthquake in China, killings in Darfur, lack of health care, etc.

You are doing a great thing by volunteering at a social justice organization. Many people are apathetic towards helping others, but as long as you are committed, then there is hope for the world.

In the midst of all this craziness, I hope you know that you deserve to enjoy life, as the world has so much to offer.

The bickering regaring the posters today reminded me of how short sided some of us are.

Keep fighting the good fight!

wolfbear

Just remember that the media is after money and so show the worst stories. There are plenty of good stories that never get aired. You're doing the right thing by volunteering and getting involved locally where you can not only make a difference but see it happen.

angelica

Jeanie wrote:

Fact is the way technology is these days we know about all kinds of hideous things that we wouldn't normally know about almost as soon as it's happening and an update every 1/2 in the media about all the suffering going on in the world is psychologically damaging for anyone. Fact is that these things have always happened and we can't do anything about so many of them. I have no problem filtering the media now because it's just not good for my mental health.

I read, and I filter what I can't deal with. I also make sure to do whatever I can about the things I can change. It's really all anyone can do.

I basically agree with you.

MrBrian

Drugs...really,lot's of drugs.

No no no, just kidding!..kinda
----

Bu2

...not that my liver agrees.

I like to stay informed. The more I know, the more I can change things.

The more I can change things, the better I feel.

Something like that, anyway.

even flow?

Hanging out with friends and not turning on the t.v. is always a bonus. Go out and run in the acid rain, it won't melt your skin. Go out and breathe in the bad air while you bike around or throw a frisbee it won't kill you imediately. Come here to throw some comments around, then donate to your charity of choice and then go on with your own life. Maybe while the t.v. is off and you are not worrying as much about something that is out of your control, you could go for a drive and sit in a drive through waiting for your coffee for twenty minutes while the car idles then when said coffee is done toss the cup out the car window then stop by the local lake and relieve yourself of that coffee and join the 90% of the rest of the people who just don't let that part of life affect them.

Brisk.

i dont bother reading much anymore, i can just predict the news...its quite samey.

Pacomc79

Balance. Stay informed and pick your battles.