How is everybody holding up lately? I’m trying to see what everyone else is doing to survive this hell hole we call America?
lots of THC and tons of ignoring reality
THC might give you paranoia, make sure to have enough CBD in there to counter the negative effects. Enjoy the trip
Learned this one the hard way! Thanks for spreading the knowledge.
THC, this is the way !
Recognize that a lot of what you’re suffering from is, well, suffering; that it’s part of the human condition and not really specific to one historical epoch, country, or economic system. Sickness, poverty, cruelty, envy, selfishness, domination, and other woes have been with us for much longer than economic or political modernity.
People have been investigating how to alleviate suffering — in the general sense — for a very long time. There are whole philosophical and social movements about it, which have proposed strategies such as —
- “Love your neighbor; forgive those who have hurt you. Feed the hungry, heal the sick, comfort the afflicted.” (Christianity)
- “Avoid killing, stealing, lying, raping, and getting drunk. Seek out wholesome companions. Maybe do some meditation.” (Buddhism)
- “Pursue a simple life. Try to avoid pain rather than seeking out pleasure. Don’t worry about gods or politics.” (Epicureanism)
Instructions Unclear: I forgave my landlord for reno-victing me, forgave the supermarket chains that price-fixed groceries which put me in debt. I was careful not to buy products which contribute to wars and inequality, even though it was harder and more expensive. Now I’m living the simple life by meditating under a bridge, but it’s cold down here and the politicians are arguing over whether they should be able to kick me out and throw away my things. The only shelter with room available requires me to worship their god.
I’m sure you would have done great in the Roman Empire!
Over here, there’s no arguing. They just throw away your things.
By not buying anything I don’t have to, not taking on debt, avoiding subscriptions, contributing to and availing myself of mutual aid societies, and growing as much of my own food as possible.
Not being American and spending locally.
Not living in America
Found the turd in the punch bowl, everyone
They are unfortunately the poster boy for so many political forces all around the world. “Those who cannot correctly identify stupidity are doomed to derp away”. Something like that. Maybe also with a mix of good ol’ malice, and “I got mine! Which proves that I deserved it! Suuuuck iiiit”.
Humans are impressively dumb. So much so that we managed to fuck up a whole planet… which we live in.
The idea of “well, you became obscenely rich at the expense of natural resources and climate… Maybe we should counteract some of the damage with slightly less obscene wealth?” is “political”.
Hoping beyond hope, that in a few months I might find a job that allows me to leave the state that is actively working towards the genocide of my kind, before it gets worse.
I wish you well. Is there any safe havens in other states that could temporarily prop you up til you get on your feet?
Best way, try to be as self-reliant, both as an individual and as a group/family/friends. So it helps to have the same mindset. Quality will always beat quantity in this regard. Not to mention will help make you more content. Ignore happiness, it is a short, fleeing feeling that marketers will exploit. Contentment lasts. Seek that. Worth noting my background was in Marketing before I walked away from it.
So, minimize consumerism, keep it reasonable, ethical and try to grow or make most or at least part of your food. The more the better. Learning how to cook well is a good start. Highly limit social media in general.
I stopped watching TV cable over a decade ago. I am amused and minimally horrified at ads online and on TV these days. Social media is little different.
Use uBlock on FF derivatives and you will never see ads. That alone is very worth it, specially over time.
Saving up can be done with things that have value, focus on real world assets. Never too early to start.
lying in bed and pretending things aren’t the way that they are helps sometimes
We sold our house we were not be able to afford anymore, we are soon moving to a smaller town with cheaper homes and more land. I’m going to get a job that doesn’t have anywhere near the amount of responsibility and quietly pay off that mortgage while learning blacksmithing so I have something to do when the world falls apart more.
I’m slowly weening myself off of the subscription bullshit. It’s gotten way out of hand. Used to buy a cd for the curren price of renting a show and i COULD KEEP IT FOREVER
bring back the dvds.
Gave all that up during the cord-cutting movement in the 2010s and haven’t looked back. Dumped new car loans and leases. My current car is a 2016, and it’s the only one we have in my little family. We work together to do all the things we want.
Diverted most of that money into investments and savings and can travel a lot more.
I still have some subscriptions, but they are fairly unique services or software for which FOSS alternatives are just too much of a headache for me.
I try to fill my time away from screens and electronics, and as a result I’ve been much happier.
solarpunk, social ecology, degrowth, permaculture, anarchism
I got a Quest 3 so I can just not be in the real world. I’m typing this with my virtual paws while floating in space right now.
Dystopian yet relatable.
I looked into moving to other countries which made it very obvious which skills were worth cultivating, changed careers accordingly and moved somewhere (in the US) that isn’t fully car-dependent until I could accumulate decent savings/investments. This was pre-covid and “orange pilling”, I just kinda lucked out
And, no, none of this was easy, just easier than saying “I’ll accept this without a fight”
By not blaming systemic issues for my problems regardless of whether they are the cause because I have no control over them…
Image description: Black, all-caps graffiti on a wall that reads “I’m fucking fed up and tired and I want to die but living is the most punk shit I’ve ever fucking done”
I experience suicidal ideation a lot, and grappling with that is tricky when so much of what is dragging me down is a function of the unjust world. I feel swallowed up by the enormity of what I can’t change, both for myself, and for others.
What gets me through is solidarity, and correctly directed rage. My late best friend learned a lot from being friends with me, and would often end up outraged on the behalf of people whose plight he had learned of. It was good rage though, he didn’t make it about himself and actually through him, I realised that because I felt so powerless, all the negative feelings had ended up being directed internally, which wasn’t good.
It’s not much, but I’ve found refuge in acknowledging how fucked up the world is — even embracing the fact that The System™ would almost certainly prefer me, and people like me, to not exist. I’m so tired, and it’s fucked up that just existing takes so much effort, but it feels a little easier with the understanding that even on my shittiest, low energy day, my life is an act of active resistance. Good old punk spite helps me by.
Glad you’re here comrade.
Rock on.
