The world is a terrible place...isn't it?

The world can be a terrible place, there's a lot of awful things happening and with the internet and tv we hear about things that we never really knew before. BUT, the world can also be an awesome place, there are some really kind, wonderful people out there who do lovely things. Unfortunately, that stuff doesnt sell news.

Personally, I've stopped watching the news and when tragedies like 9/11 or the lindt seige etc happen I make sure that I don't sit and watch every detail because I know how depressed it makes me. I feel for the people but I limit my exposure.

I saw a quote once "You cant live a positive life with a negative mind" and its so true. If we focus on the negatives in life we will never find happiness, but we also have the choice to focus on the positives in life. Life is what we make of it. Personally, I think if I want to make the world a better place than I need to do my part and do something positive, even if its only little.

Thank you for your responses.

It is helpful to hear what other people do to try to stay positive. I just don't know what the point is, it just all seems like one big pretence. Everyone pretending all the time.

I'm glad to hear some other people feel the same

Yes, it is, and our human systems are so deeply dehumanising it's hard to know where to even start changing them. It hasn't always been this way though- before industrialisation many things were harder and worse but some really important things were better.

For example we would know the person who we bought our bread from, and probably their mother, so even buying bread would break down our aloneness. We would depend on each other to complete crop harvest, building,and a hundred other things, rather than being isolated and expected to cope alone, which is against all human wellbeing as we are social animals.

I think that's the key: resistence to the systems we live in, fighting to have community and connection and friends who we can really talk to. When we have that, the dehumanising services and systems lose power and we gain good feelings and hope.

When the existing systems harm us deeply it's time to look for alternatives. How to find soft, gentle people who don't abuse and are worthy of trust? I don't know yet but I think this is what we need in this terrible world.

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@Alone wrote:

The world can be a terrible place, there's a lot of awful things happening and with the internet and tv we hear about things that we never really knew before. BUT, the world can also be an awesome place, there are some really kind, wonderful people out there who do lovely things. Unfortunately, that stuff doesnt sell news.

Personally, I've stopped watching the news and when tragedies like 9/11 or the lindt seige etc happen I make sure that I don't sit and watch every detail because I know how depressed it makes me. I feel for the people but I limit my exposure.

I saw a quote once "You cant live a positive life with a negative mind" and its so true. If we focus on the negatives in life we will never find happiness, but we also have the choice to focus on the positives in life. Life is what we make of it. Personally, I think if I want to make the world a better place than I need to do my part and do something positive, even if its only little.

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What a wonderful post - could not have said it better.

Dear @girl99 - I must admit that I have shared your sentiments about the world and wondered what the point was many times in my life when traumatised and feeling alone in it. But the truth is there is a point. As @Alone said there is good people and good out there. Imagine if they gave up and opted out of the world - it would be a living hell. They make it a better place - people like you can, and that is the point of surviving. That is what I have learnt in my 55 yrs - there is a reason why we are here and some live that, some do not. And it's all about looking for the good, no matter how small. I am having to do that right now as hell has descended upon me but it's about never giving up. Hugs

Thank you to all of you because most people won't open such subjects and if we don't discuss them how then are we supposed to repair the damage? I always feel much better after discussing ugly facts then I don't feel so alone knowing someone else sees it too. My closest friends is nicknamed Melancholia for her 'doom & gloom' conversations, but we always end up laughing after talking about the way the world really is. I'm certain your meant to talk about it, to learn others feel this way and to guide you out of those dark thoughts and help you fight depression and isolating yourself from evil people and finding your own flock.

I agree

@girl99. I think that people who view life as a positive experience just have their brains wired that way, and similarly for people who view life as a negative experience. There are people who have had horrific experiences but still think that life is worth living. I have type 2 bipolar disorder and my whole life I have experienced the world as a rather terrible place. For the majority of my life I have been looking forward to it all being over. I have just been trying to get through it.

I have 2 little kids, I hold a Ph.D. and I enjoy various aspects of research, I lift weights at the gym, and there are other aspects of my life that I enjoy, but that doesn't mean that I like my existence.

It is only in the last 2 years that I have been coping better with my existence. For me it required a shift in focus from myself to other people generally. For example, I changed my career from one that was more about me to one that is more about other people, while still keeping it aligned with my values. Also, I view my life as important for my kids if not for me. So, I still try to find some enjoyment (even though it is not always possible) while living more for other people. In this way, I find that my existence may consist of suffering, despair and hopelessness but is still of value to others.

I am of the view that life doesn't have to be a positive experience. It would be nice if it was, and for some people it seems to be, but by shifting my focus away from myself I find it easier to accept. I think that the point of our existence is solely for the ongoing survival of human DNA. When I view life in this manner it all seems absurd, and I find this absurdity very funny.

AF

90% mundane 10% interesting for me. ..............tbc