• MarxMadness [comrade/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      what the fuck am I doing depriving myself of whatever brief pleasure I can find if we’re all going to fucking die of climate change

      This goes through my mind a lot, too. The less-than-satisfying responses I sometimes talk myself into are:

      1. I'd rather stubbornly try to do something than give up, and
      2. Things can change fast and unexpectedly, and if we keep at it we might get lucky.
        • MarxMadness [comrade/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Have you tried psychedelics? Way better for your body than booze, not addictive, no hangovers (which is a big help if you're trying to get up the energy to grind through job applications), and cheaper than either booze or weed. They're a great way to take a little mental vacation and feel happy with fewer side effects.

    • inshallah2 [none/use name]
      ·
      edit-2
      3 years ago

      Start smoking weed again

      Last year I started to really worry about my job and about the money I'd saved up for retirement. I'll retire in about 10 years. I assumed the economy was going to crash and I'd be totally fucked. I was convinced we were headed for a second great depression. But I ended up shocked at how well the economy (and me) did.

      At my peak last year I started to drink a lot. I got scared I was headed for alcoholism but my thinking then was "Fuck it - what does it matter? I'm a happy drunk and at least I feel amazing when I'm drinking." But I didn't actually feel amazing. I still felt dread.

      To save money - whenever I could - bought a bunch of bottles of the cheapest Trader Joe's brands of bourbon or whiskey. I didn't keep track but at times I was surely drinking a bottle a week. I don't have an addictive personality but I realized that I very easily (and very quickly) succumb to temptation. And I didn't do myself any favors by having all that booze around.

      Starting in March I got strict with myself. I've been keeping track and I cut down to one bottle every two weeks. It disturbed me how much I missed the booze. The middle of last month - I ran out. I bought and drank some beer but haven't bought any of the hard stuff. I'm in the process of deciding how much I will allow myself to drink. A bottle every 3 weeks is probably best. In any case - when I go grocery shopping - it'll be one of two things. One bottle. Or no bottles.

      If I have to spend more because TJ's is out of the cheap stuff - so be it. More expensive Irish whiskey it is. I'm super-cheap but I only have one liver and one body. Also I can't have more than one bottle around. Next year will likely be a true horrorshow for America. December 10th will probably be the death knell for American democracy. If the dems haven't killed the filibuster and passed voting laws by then - we're fucked. But such is life. I have to focus on my own well-being. And not my own escapism.

      we’re all going to fucking die of climate change

      I wish I had helpful and hopeful news. But I don't and I can't lie to you. The future looks black as soot to me too. You just have to soldier on, entertain yourself, and laugh as much as you can.