This was huge for me, but I also had to be careful not to become even more despairing upon realizing just how actually fucked our society is and the fact that so many people are unwilling to understand it or in denial about it, it's easy to feel helpless. Once I found a way to take responsibility for the things I can control in my life, while also going easier on myself because so many things are clearly out of my control (Marxism helped immensely in understanding this), I felt that I finally found a balance and don't need to be ashamed or depressed the way that I was for years.

Me too. I'm not a sad person in general. I am in misery about the state of things and what is to come if things aren't changed. Like how can you not feel bad when you find out that there is no future for the youth and also their leading cause of death is getting shot.

Keeps the rage fire burning, at least. Marxian analysis taught me who to blame.

It certainly made me a hell of a lot less angry at normal people now that I understand the underlying systems are causing their terrible behavior.