I had the same thought about the passivity and sense of helplessness in the face of struggles that don't sound excessively abnormal. Given the title of the art

I had the same thought about the passivity and sense of helplessness in the face of struggles that don't sound excessively abnormal. Given the title of the article, I have to believe that this is deliberate. Whether this is "learned helplessness" or has some other cause, I couldn't say. But it seems to be intimately tied to the writer's depression. I hope he finds treatment that works.