Humanity lost in a cloud of hate and anger?
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If you wonder where the good in humanity has gone, well...basically it means you're not looking in the right places. It DOES exist, this I know. (Note that I am also a Retail Drone, someone who has seen the dreaded selfishness of many a person.) I've seen it. I've had human kindness bestowed upon me. It exists, although these days it is buried quite deep.
You're not really missing anything, despite being young. The fact that you're asking is proof of that. The problem is not that goodness and positive notions left, it's just that they're hidden by the world. It's outmaneuvered, outnumbered, and outgunned. The Rage and Hate and Cynicism is prevalent because today's modern society is conductive to it.
This has all been said of course, but then the real question comes up. It's the question that separates people and forms the sides of this topic that we've seen so far: You know the world is lacking and/or buries kindness and good notions. What do you DO in the face of that? How do you react?
In my more introspective moments I tend to equate it with being shipwrecked at sea. The situation is plain and clear. The real question is what do you do? Do you cling to the wreckage and hold out hope that rescue, one day, will come? Or do you allow the cold currents to drag you under to misery and death?
These days I feel it's almost like clinging to wreckage in a storm. Waves of Nihilism and Despair rage and wash over you, and every time you have to fight to cling to that wreckage. To believe that something good still exists in this pitch black ocean of negativity.
Some people have long since given up and sunk to the bottom. Their lives are easier because they gave in. They're never hurt or disappointed by each new wave of selfishness, rage, stupidity, pettiness. But, when humanity makes a triumph of kindness or compassion, do they feel it? Does it make them feel as good as those who still tirelessly cling to hope? Or are they so drowned that the light never penetrates through the cold and gloom?
It takes courage (and perhaps a bit of masochism) to stay afloat. But personally? I keep fighting. If I sink...well, if I sink I may not be alive to see another day.
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Yeah, yeah. It's all just pretty words. I know. But hopefully you get the point. Goodness exists. So does the bad stuff. It's known fact that you're going to get hit with the bad stuff more than good. The question is, as always, is how do you handle that? How you handle it makes all the difference.
You're not really missing anything, despite being young. The fact that you're asking is proof of that. The problem is not that goodness and positive notions left, it's just that they're hidden by the world. It's outmaneuvered, outnumbered, and outgunned. The Rage and Hate and Cynicism is prevalent because today's modern society is conductive to it.
This has all been said of course, but then the real question comes up. It's the question that separates people and forms the sides of this topic that we've seen so far: You know the world is lacking and/or buries kindness and good notions. What do you DO in the face of that? How do you react?
In my more introspective moments I tend to equate it with being shipwrecked at sea. The situation is plain and clear. The real question is what do you do? Do you cling to the wreckage and hold out hope that rescue, one day, will come? Or do you allow the cold currents to drag you under to misery and death?
These days I feel it's almost like clinging to wreckage in a storm. Waves of Nihilism and Despair rage and wash over you, and every time you have to fight to cling to that wreckage. To believe that something good still exists in this pitch black ocean of negativity.
Some people have long since given up and sunk to the bottom. Their lives are easier because they gave in. They're never hurt or disappointed by each new wave of selfishness, rage, stupidity, pettiness. But, when humanity makes a triumph of kindness or compassion, do they feel it? Does it make them feel as good as those who still tirelessly cling to hope? Or are they so drowned that the light never penetrates through the cold and gloom?
It takes courage (and perhaps a bit of masochism) to stay afloat. But personally? I keep fighting. If I sink...well, if I sink I may not be alive to see another day.
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Yeah, yeah. It's all just pretty words. I know. But hopefully you get the point. Goodness exists. So does the bad stuff. It's known fact that you're going to get hit with the bad stuff more than good. The question is, as always, is how do you handle that? How you handle it makes all the difference.
But you could say all of that in a world where goodness didn't exist. Your shipwreck might have had no wreckage - the whole thing might be at the bottom of the ocean. And the world might be flooded with no hope of your ever reaching dry land. And yet you could keep swimming out of "hope".Tsukuyomi said:
That's not to say it isn't worth swimming, since as far as your understanding of the situation goes, you might as well hang on. It's also not to say that there's something fundamentally problematic with optimism of the kind you're describing. But what might be worth considering is the Constructive perspective. Would it be better to try to find dry land, to set up a life for yourself there? Or perhaps, accepting that you're stuck in the ocean, to actively hunt for resources that might make for a sustainable existence? The realisation that nobody is coming for you can be a powerful motivator to do those things.
Humanity "hasn't been lost" anywhere. It's just "back in the day everything was better" talk, which is total bs if you ask me. People weren't more polite, less intolerant or hateful 'back in the day', they were worse as far as I can tell. And the further back you go, the more intolerant people were. Socially accepted racism, holocaust, slavery, crusades. Don't let time gold-plate your perception of the past.
Sensationalism and sensational stories are more popular and they're the ones that make the papers and the press. There's plenty of hatred and anger. Additionally I haven't seen it mentioned but access to information is unparralleled to any point in history. A couple of centuries ago your average 16 year old wouldn't have known about the war, attrocity and murder occuring elsewhere.
But you only have to open your eyes for yourself to see all the kindness and charity going on in the world every minute of everyday.
By way of example, although it was a few months back, remember that quake in Japan and those fire fighters and employees who stayed behind to fix it? There was an immense amount of danger and radio-activity. They could have fled, but what selflessness to remain behind.
But you only have to open your eyes for yourself to see all the kindness and charity going on in the world every minute of everyday.
By way of example, although it was a few months back, remember that quake in Japan and those fire fighters and employees who stayed behind to fix it? There was an immense amount of danger and radio-activity. They could have fled, but what selflessness to remain behind.
Speaking from personal experience almost every adolescent (especially if they're the intelligent/quiet type) seems to go through a stage of self righteous anger/hate- the world isnt giving them everything on a plate and so they get all bitter and twisted.
Its just a phase, one you grow out of by the time you enter your twenties- you start sussing yourself out and whilst everything may not get easier it certainly gets better.
Plus its easier ot focus on the negative, seeing all the good and beauty in the world takes effort, but for me at least its definately there.
Its just a phase, one you grow out of by the time you enter your twenties- you start sussing yourself out and whilst everything may not get easier it certainly gets better.
Plus its easier ot focus on the negative, seeing all the good and beauty in the world takes effort, but for me at least its definately there.
Steven Pinker just wrote a book called Our Better Angels. I haven't read it yet, but judging by hearsay, his research seems to show that we're actually getting better. The only thing that's changed is that terrible stuff is getting reported more. Giving the illusion that more terrible stuff is happening.
Very true, but again I still think it boils down to the fact that you know the score and the way the world works. The important part is what you choose to do about it. Yeah, you could hold out, you could try for land, but whatever you do, the point is that you're not just giving up and saying 'well, I'm boned!' and just dying. Thank you for pointing that out. I think it was something I didn't address.Indeterminacy said:
It actually reminds me of an article I read on Stumble awhile back. For the life of me I can't remember who the guy was being interviewed but he was a modern philosopher and when they asked him about the prevalence of Nihilism today, he basically explained that Nihilism is a step in a path, but many people get to that point and they stop walking. They get to the point where they realize there's nothing to believe in and they let that fact own them. They don't go on to the next step. They don't choose to do anything about it. Even choosing to live with it is a choice. Choosing to let it dominate you and you be miserable....well, I suppose that's a choice too, but I wouldn't count it as one.
It all comes down to choice, though. Yes. The world sucks sometimes. Now what are you going to DO about it?
I suppose I'm not the... best example, as leaning about what humanity is capable of has made me rather jaded. I know I shouldn't be, but I just can't trust people. Or maybe that's my paranoia talking...
Still, I see nothing wrong with trying to spread some kindness into the world. Hey, I'm not that cynical...
Still, I see nothing wrong with trying to spread some kindness into the world. Hey, I'm not that cynical...