I've been unemployed for almost 6 months now. I wasn't even paid enough while I was working, but now, I've depleted all my savings, my credit card balance is going up, I'm not even sure how much longer I can keep collecting unemployment, I still have absolutely zero job prospects, I'm having a hard time affording anything that gives me genuine enjoyment.

Beyond money, I don't have a good social life. I really only have acquaintances who would all rather be with other people. Me thinking about finding love feels like me thinking about being a billionaire, basically just a fantasy so far from the conditions of my life, it's absurd.

If I finally get a job, what then? I still have to scrounge to financially recover? I'm still alone? What do I even have to live for?

  • CarbonScored [any]
    ·
    2 months ago

    I'm very genuinely glad it's clearly helpful to you and others, but I personally find these kind of narratives to be negative, bordering on harmful.

    Nobody is ever suffering heavily, and then just 'decide to kick ass', like it's just a decision you take. No doubt his recovery from anxiety and depression was a lot more complicated, involved a lot of other people, and was a far longer road, than that. Cool life story and goal, nonetheless.

    • lemmyseizethemeans@lemmygrad.ml
      ·
      2 months ago

      Having had a friend recently commit suicide I realized my ability to actually influence people and affect change is limited. There was literally nothing anyone could do, he wanted to die and he killed himself. I think about Bucky, he wanted to die, but he decided he help people instead. This is the only point of my comment. I can't save anyone, I can't fix this, all I can do is point out that there is another way.

      • CarbonScored [any]
        ·
        2 months ago

        I totally feel it, I too have had a friend commit suicide and it made me confront a lot of things. It's cool you're sharing these stories and how they inspire you - just saying I find my own interpretation a bit different, that's all.

    • robot_dog_with_gun [they/them]
      ·
      2 months ago

      yeah that shit is toxic as fuck. what do these dorks think happens when someone tries the bullshit and fails? survivorship bias is a helluva drug

        • robot_dog_with_gun [they/them]
          ·
          2 months ago

          it's noble but frequently misguided. Don't uncritically valorize "attempting to help". redditors posting the hotline aren't actually helping, the hotline itself is often directly harmful to people in crisis, and something like pouring water on a grease fire is going to make it worse 100% of the time.

          "inspirational" willpower from nothing stories aren't reproducible and are horrible to hear as someone who's been horribly depressed for 2/3 of their shit life and has no useful agency or power.

          • CarbonScored [any]
            ·
            2 months ago

            I think it's unfair to respond like this. I'm not a fan of the story either, personally, but it's clearly a story that some people really do derive value from, even if you and I don't.

            • robot_dog_with_gun [they/them]
              ·
              2 months ago

              it's unfair to think anyone can just hoist themselves to famous scientist Buckminster Fuller's drive and achievements and it blows to have that lib shit coming from comrades

              • CarbonScored [any]
                ·
                2 months ago

                Except they didn't say 'anyone can just hoist themselves', they just said it's something they think about a lot. They were empathising and sharing a story they found helpful, that was all.