RANT: When things suck and you do nothing about it, things continue to suck
This might be all over the place. Sorry in advance.
I hate that so many people but especially our generation refuse to develop their empathy.
I hate that so many people complain about what affects them and everyone else but do nothing about.
I hate the "We're so cooked" defeatist attitude.
I hate all the monopolies and billionaires and corrupt individuals in government who are greedy and cruel.
I hate how so people think that not being the worst type of person makes them a good person. It doesn't.
I hate how so many people think that in those big moments in history, they'd be the good guy when they just watch injustices happen when it doesn't[t effect them.
I hate AI. Stop using it. It's bad for the planet (uses up water for cooling because of the amont of shit generated). The more you use it, the more you encourage companies to keep pushing for it. It makes you less smart, less empathetic, less curious, less satisfied, less sane, less happy, less human.
I hate how people don't understand that there is power in numbers.
I guess that's what this all sums up to.
"Voting doesn't matter. It won't do anything anyway. Everything sucks. We can't do anything about it. I'm so unhappy and deeply lonely... Time to scroll tiktok fort hours."
It truly could be better. Voting doesn't work unless the majority of people actually show up. As in, things stay the same because so many people don't. That reaffirms to people that it "doesn't work". This isn't just a few people thinking this, it's millions. Of course nothing changes when a significant percent of the population, even if it's less than half, choose to do nothing. If there is a split between doing something, doing nothing and contributing to the bad, two of those options lead to the bad outcome. Nothing good happens when you choose to do nothing, so if you hate things so badly, why choose nothing? Nothing means unhappiness and loneliness. Humans are built to rely on each other. Of course things suck when you just go to school/work or home and doom scroll. I understand the irony of me saying that interacting online isn't a 1 to 1 substitute for genuine human connection and going outside, but I don't spend most of my down time online. Remember how covid fucked us all up? We were going stircrazy inside everyday, not being able to interact with people or go anywhere and that messed up our mental health. When restrictions were lifted, so many people had to relearn how to interact with other human beings. We were forced to do nothing. That sucked, so why would you self-imposed that "solitary confinement" on yourself willingly?
...
I was diagnosed with depression and other things when I was a very young child. I was on medication and in therapy for years. Still am. And I'm a significantly happier and healthier person because of it. "Choose happiness" was always bullshit to me. Still is when framed so simply. Sadness wouldn't exist if we could just "'choose happiness". But doing nothing was never an option for me. Because it meant suffering that compounded on itself. Depression makes it hard to literally do anything. I know that first hand. Sometimes all I could do was play comedy movies and get up to use the bathroom. If my body allowed me to just pee myself, I probably would have. I didn't shower or eat. I barely drank water, mostly just to take my medication. I cried everyday. I cannot emphasize how hard it was. I had to very slowly build myself back up. Sometimes my progress just looked like getting up to open the curtain and sitting upright in bed so I felt the sun on my face. But I knew that if I did nothing, it would be worst. I would never be happy. Hope is a hard thing to have when everything sucks. But I had it because I knew that if I kept choosing to do something, it would get better. That strengthened my hope. I was proving to myself that the hope was warranted.
I share that to say that I understand first hand that it's not easy to "fight" when you're so broken down. But the alternative is more painful. I know my story isn't uncommon, especially for our generation.
One person can't lower prices or fix the healthcare system or make sure ressources are shared equally or hold every bad guy accountable. But one person, along with another person and another person and another and another and another, until there's hundreds, thousands, millions of one individual person that comes together as a giant collective, absolutely can. Look at every massive positive change in history. It might have started with one person but it was executed by the many. For the Good of the many.
The 1% is a powerful force against every isolated, sad, anxious, insecure, overwhelmed, overworked individual person, who is scared to step out of line or try and fail. But a machine cannot function without the cogs that are connected. You cannot be talked into buying the most expensive skincare products when you're secure and understand that's it's normal to have wrinkles, cellulite or the occasional pimple. You cannot be be fearmongered into a cult when you know the lies sold are... Literally lies. You cannot be in a relationship with someone who constantly negs you when you know your worth, with a healthy self esteem. The 1% can't continue to benefit from wealth disparity if we were collectively interacting with our communities, happier, emotionally regulated, secure in ourselves, grounded in understanding, well rested, healthy, courageous and willing to try until things get better.
The approximate 17 million Americans skip work during and right after the Super Bowl disrupts the economy. A one or two day disruption can e managed, but what about a prologoned "no show"? What if they were blue collered workers? The essential workers? Without the "essential" everything stops. That affects EVERYONE.
It doesn't have to be that extreme... Yet... But it's in our collective power IF every individual chooses to DO SOMEHTING. The Velvet revolution. The Gen Z Nepalese uprising. Literally someone getting enough money through gofund me for medical treatment. None of these things happened without COLLECTIVE power. Individuals came together and made a positive change. They DID SOMETHING because DOING NOTHING was worse.
Maybe very few will read this. Maybe only some willl be motivated. Maybe I'll be mocked for this. But I have to try because the alternative is worse. Do something. If not for yourself, then for the people you care about.
Logging off now to maintain sanity.