Hi everyone, I have usually posted anonymous on this forum, but I guess that’s not allowed in off topic anymore. Lately, I have been feeling very confused. I usually consider myself an optimistic person, but it seems with the last few months, that has been tested. I don’t like to play the “pity Olympics”, but in the past 20 months:
-
My grandfather, who was like a father to me, passed away.
-
Friend’s small business is destroyed during civil unrest, essentially ruining his life. The worst part was that surveillance footage revealed another member of our friend group was the one who bashed the window in and started the destruction of the property.
-
College friend commits suicide.
-
Ex-girlfriend dies of laced drugs
-
Family member is killed in random act of violence
-
Childhood friend is randomly attacked and paralyzed for life.
With issues such as #1, and even COVID (the virus itself, I won’t comment on the policies/responses related to it), I understand that these are natural occurrences, and that no ill intensions are involved. At the end of the day, we are organisms and diseased and death happen. However, what I have struggled with lately is understanding the human race. This comes after the beginning of the pandemic, where I was disgusted to see several people celebrating the deaths or punishments of people who disagreed with them on platforms like Reddit or Facebook. I’m starting to question whether or not it makes sense for us to live in these large, political societies. I’m in no way advocating for anarchy or anything, but where I’m lost is in the debate of whether or not humans are naturally evil. I never thought I’d feel this way, but these past few months have tested me. I’m lucky to have a beautiful fiancé, good family and (albeit small) friend group, and a job where I feel valued and taken care of, but beyond this bubble, I am apprehensive to explore relationships further given what seems like an overwhelming amount of evil out in the world.
Has anyone else ever felt this way? Thanks for letting me ramble, fellow monkeys.
I am sorry for your losses. I know things can be hard right now, but I am a true believer that time will heal all. Keep focusing on your self, try and remove some more social media. I do think the world is a tough place, but that does not mean that we cannot make it better.
I am sorry for your losses. out of curiosity, have you grieved yet?
I have done some grieving, I suppose, but I don't know when this string of losses is supposed to end. For me what has been most difficult to overcome is that a lot of this is caused by things that could be avoided (these random acts of violence). I want to have children with my fiancé, but now I am apprehensive given that I'm not sure I can trust the environment around us. Thinking of maybe moving out of urban centers and somewhere more suburban.
This is life, some have it good, some have it bad. All you can do is focus on yourself.
How is your spiritual life? I feel like my spiritual life gives me a purpose through these sufferings in life. We are here to help others. Think more about how you can be there for others and your fiancé.
I believe in the possibility of an afterlife/creator, but I'm not confident that this creator plays an active role in our lives/existence. I'm trying to get more involved in the community, but people still seem on edge with COVID stuff where I live, and it definitely hampers the experience.
I know the feeling man. You have to honor the people you lose by putting your best foot forward towards success. The world is an unfair and dark place sometimes, but you can’t let these things chain you down. We don’t grow from sunshine and rainbows, we grow from clouds and rain. Keep your head up!
I understand what your saying and how your perspective is changing. The last few years have made me really think, is their something unseen going on here? Is there a spiritual war happening in the world that is causing people to act the way they do? I’m not a conspiracy theorist at all but sometimes I just wonder, what the fuck is going on here?
There most definitely has been a rise in “evil” in the world, and it’s proliferating those in power.
There is no way a DA could look at a persons rap sheet with a history of violence and aggravated assaults and after he’s caught firing a weapon, go - yeah this is racial justice let’s set the bail to $500.
The entire left’s agenda is absolutely destroying society. Nobody in their right mind that can view large amounts of data on crime and drug use can say - yup, what we need is to subsidize and fund free crack pipes for those addicted, when America is at an all time high for drug overdoses and crime.
What in the fuck is going on? Im with you on this one.
I don't want to make politics the subject of this, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't frustrated I can't even visit my hospitalized friend right now due to COVID protocols. Only one visitor is allowed during the duration of the stay, and that must be the same person throughout the duration. The family can't even visit. I hope this isn't the "new normal" going forward.
There is a spiritual war going on right now, but “where sin increases, grace abounds all the more.” (Romans 5:20)
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Didn’t know you were a spiritual man Isaiah but yeah that’s my religious thought for sure, again, I always stay logic and earthly rationale bound in discussions of looking at a problem and possible solutions but I totally agree, from a religious standpoint
haha yeah my handle is actually a bible verse… I’m Roman Catholic
The most bewildering part of it all is that there are people who actually support these ridiculous policies. Like what?
Have we just become so addicted to media that we’ve lost our ability to reason or care for what’s going on?
Sorry to hijack this discussion and being politics into this but I feel like you’re feelings are bounded and a result of which the reality we now live in.
God bless, sorry for your losses.
I understand where you're coming from with regards to questioning humanity. Life is really rough right now on my end as well and all I see are people being assholes to each other, people chronically complaining, people wasting their lives glued to social media and Netflix, people chomping at the bit for every opportunity to fight over the most trivial things. It's truly a shame and makes you question whether or not this is a sign of the times or if this how society has always been and we're just more aware of it.
Like you, I have a very small group of friends that I'm thankful for, good parents, and career. I think the most important point I can drive home is to not let current life circumstances and the prevailing economic/societal narratives and atmosphere weigh you down which is of course easier said than done and something I must constantly remind myself of. Engage in physical activity as much as you can and any activity that foresters creativity and curiosity. During times like these, one must be tough but if you just focus on building mental trenches to prevent the difficulties of life from affecting you, you can easily get burdened and life feels stifling, as if the walls are closing in around you. I think it's important to maintain the lightness of childhood when life gets tough, otherwise you run the risk of being weighed down mentally and emotionally and after many years, you end up miserable and grumpy, which seems to be the state of many people now a days.
Sorry for those certain events that taken place in your life. Answers aren't always easy to find within a good time frame but I always try to grief in the moments that mean so much to me because at the end of the day you'll always have that reassurance that you made every moment count and that in the end of it all you cared.
It might not help, but remember you have your life to live and you can be whatever you want and take pride of it because I bet your loved ones who passed understand you have to do what you gotta do to move forward and accept the pain and growth that is coming.
Good luck buddy, I know you got this and we support you.
Just wanted to chime in and say that I completely relate to all of the perspective and emotion in this post. Not the losses, which I pray you can heal from, but the thoughts resulting from them. I’ve played with the thought for a while of a way to somehow bring everyone together who is on this same page and figure out some sort of solution to the obvious deterioration of the human race. There have been different flavors of evil human behavior all throughout history, and I think what we’re experiencing now is so in front of our faces due to how advanced we’ve become as a society. Everyone says to just look out for yourself but how fucked is that. Just accepting that you live in a shitty world? Not to say that looking out for yourself is a bad thing, but I’ve always been against using it as a crutch to not actively commit to fixing what’s wrong with society. Then again, who’s to say what’s right or wrong to begin with. Idk. Long day. I play this monologue out in my head often and upon seeing your own train of thought, I felt like I would contribute mine and see what comes of it.
This really has been a rough change of mood and temperament over the last couple of years. I'm sorry to hear it's brought so much of the worst possible to you and yours.
All I can think of for those who acted out and caused the brutalities is that at the root they're ignorant, too often by choice. Even aggressively so. Being so ignorant of the world beyond the end of their nose they act out of fear, out of impatience, without any concept of "playing the tape to the end". So many are afraid of missing out on something that they lash out in impatience and ignorance. Or some misguided ignorance that because this person is different than them, they're against them or somehow have made them into victims. Or worse, we've started seeing more and more openly that some groups are fermenting these reactions in other groups to elicit these physically, emotionally, spirtually and psychologically violent reactions.
As others have mentioned, it's good that you have a grasp on your grief right now. And I would echo the sentiment that times like this are exactly why spirituality is important for personal health.
You sound like a good guy. You take the hardship of life with the right attitude.
And yeah man, I'm disgusted by the libs as well.
Wow man looks like you have been to hell and back. I am totally sorry and have never been in your shoes, but try to surround yourself with close friends and family as much as possible (which you already are doing). You get through this, nothing will be holding you back.
I am sorry for your losses, as a kid I use to worry and be sad about losing people I love and spent so many sleepless nights. I couldn't even stand that thought. luckily listening to some good speakers and life coaches came to the realization that just the reality. we all gonna leave this place one day, all those smiles and good memories you spent with those people are the fuel to keep moving forward and be more kind than yesterday. as others said time heals all wounds. stay strong my friend!
Ut dolor ut laudantium blanditiis. Dolorem tenetur est iure aut qui. Voluptatem dolor ipsam nihil harum fugit.
Nisi nihil accusamus dolore repellat doloremque. Consequuntur et ipsum et aliquam neque alias ipsum. Ratione nihil quia unde non.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Dolor veniam aut sed incidunt adipisci qui modi reprehenderit. Itaque nam qui quia quisquam.