As someone in the US it’s so easy to see so many depressing issues from the ravages of capitalism, to war, imperialism, and genocide. How can one care about these issues and hope for change without allowing themselves to be affected mentally?
I’ve been considering this for the past week, connecting it with Buddhist compassion towards the world and a need for mindfulness. But it’s so easy to fall into emotionlessness.
I’ve also thought through the world has always had issues and though some are getting much worse some are getting better.
I have gone to counseling before but they just make it an individual problem when it’s the world.
Edit: doesn’t have to be US centric. Just I’m writing from that pov
It's indeed very difficult and my take is that the system wants us like this. To be depressed, full of fear and hopeless. Mainly of course through media.
What I considered one solution to fight back this is to discuss current events, solutions etc with a group of similar minded people. I don't mean join a cult etc. No far from it. But finding people with same concerns by openly discussing them will bond them into bigger groups and this helps a lot. Gives a sense of fulfilment and hope.
No fear. Act.
You raised a very good point that I did not realize until now. In the past 8 years we actually stopped talking about politics to others, because it became so polarizing.
We absolutely need to talk about politics if we want to keep democracy. Hardliners likely won't be converted, but at least, as you said, we should talk to like minded people.
Also, there's indeed no point to worry about things outside of our control, and worry about things we can affect. Threat the things that happen, that we can't control more as an obstacle that we have to deal with. Also support people who might have control and fight (governors, congress people, lawyers, judges, government employees, etc) so they know that aren't doing it for nothing.
Correct. Also have in mind the all political sides, lefts, rights etc are all the same wearing different masks. True change comes from the base, from people, not from politicians placed by the system for people to vote. The base, the people when discuss and propose the most fit person to represent them , this is true democracy.
Do something about it. I run an LGBT center and help homeless trans people get housing. You will be surprised how you can get stuff like this going just by talking to people (a lot, like every day, zealously). You don't need to be rich.
I'm surrounded by people that give a shit every day. We've made a bubble that can't pop.
Get involved in direct action in your community. Linking up with an org or group that does real community service and solidarity can help prevent you from feeling helpless and falling into that depressive spiral.
Help at a soup kitchen, provide homeless care kits, work a food/clothing drive, work with a crew to clean up gang tags from walls, pick up litter, build bird boxes, etc.
Seeing your community get a little better can do a lot for your mental health.
Remember that dispite the horrors of our species, we have accomplished some pretty incredible things. Just 200 years ago, we were still putting leaches on people and not washing our hands before performing medical procedures.
Now, we use microscopic lasers to correct blindness, cure certain types or deafness by implanting magnets into skulls, we can deliver and grow infants that are born several months too early to full term with minimal complications, and we can treat scores of diseases that would have been a death sentence just 200 years ago.
The Capitalist scum would have you believe that nobody would have done those things unless they made money doing it, but that's a lie and projection. They wouldn't have done that if it didn't make them money, because they are evil and without empathy.
But they don't represent the human spirit, what we are truly capable of when we work together for the common good.
The greatest accomplishments of our species aren't when we compete and fight each other. The greatest accomplishments happen when we cooperate with each other. Don't let the rich and powerful convince you otherwise.
We are each just one person. We can't save the world, and it would be unreasonable to carry that burden.
But we each can save a small piece of it. A kind word here, a forgiving of slights there, and work in some patience & understanding for others.
Little things can make waves. And if Six Degrees of Separation remains true, your little deeds affect more people than you realize.
i was deeply depressed before i gained political awareness
I just try to channel Gramsci:
"You must realize that I am far from feeling beaten…it seems to me that… a man out to be deeply convinced that the source of his own moral force is in himself — his very energy and will, the iron coherence of ends and means — that he never falls into those vulgar, banal moods, pessimism and optimism. My own state of mind synthesises these two feelings and transcends them: my mind is pessimistic, but my will is optimistic. Whatever the situation, I imagine the worst that could happen in order to summon up all my reserves and will power to overcome every obstacle."
and this dude was dying in a fascist prison and able to hold this outlook. i find it inspiring
I spend a ton of my time working in my community. It really helps. It's a lot of work and a lot of time and I'm exhausted all the time but it's worth it
Heavily filter what you consume. Following all news is not the morally correct thing to do, and you can cut back on it.
I'm fighting against this by staying off all social media other than Lemmy. All my news comes from a small number of curated sources, and only in RSS feeds (so I get them in time order rather than bullshit news site headlines prioritisation). I use a lot of keyword filters on Lemmy and in my RSS news (Covid, Trump, Biden, most American news, anything that is meaningless to me is blocked before it can show up on my screen).
TLDR news is a particularly good YouTube channel. They have really well presented news and pick out a few important events to report on. I find that's more than enough for me for news consumption.
The cure for grief is action. Go to a DSA meeting, join a mutual aid society, volunteer at a community garden. Help out at a food pantry. Put the values you believe in back into the world.
Act to change it and be at peace mentally knowing that you have dedicated your life to the struggle and you have done all you can.
Join a political party that aligns with the change you want to see. Also belonging to a few leftist orgs to effect your local city.
If your a right winger then sorry its a case of living with that low mood.
