7 ms·

IDK, I'm pretty depressed about the environment, China, ICE, and private oligarchies. Sure 2019 is better that the Middle Ages, but let's be honest. Things are

IDK, I'm pretty depressed about the environment, China, ICE, and private oligarchies. Sure 2019 is better that the Middle Ages, but let's be honest. Things are not "actually amazing".

smabie 7y ago
Well, it’s all relative. Do you have a time period in mind that you would want to live instead of now?
- nopriorarrests 7y ago
  Late 80's and early 90's as a teenager? Look, you can visit live gigs of Nirvana, Soundgarden, Shotgun Messiah, Bad Religion and such, make some modest money and buy a couple of SF properties? What's not to like about that?
  - smabie 7y ago
    Maybe we should talk about Rawl’s veil of ignorance [1]. If you did not know where you would be born or in what socio-economic class, what time period would you want to live in? Because it’s clear to me living in a 3rd world country (and, formerly, America), that the best time to be alive is now, in aggregate. If you could decide, maybe it would be great to be a king in the Middle Ages, or whatever. But if you didn’t have that choice and instead you randomly became someone, I think most people would agree that today is the best it’s ever been. Empirical statistics back this up as well. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_of_ignorance https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_of_ignorance
    - nopriorarrests 7y ago
      idk man? I explicitly specified the country and time frame? From what I know, if we talk about USA in 1985-1990 (and not USSR in 1935), there were no genocide, no mass poverty or concentration camps. Just education and housing were affordable and music was good. You had a good chance of getting almost any college degree, good job and ride the happy 90's without student debt and paying off your mortgage for a property that will increase in price at least x2 next decade.
eric_b 7y ago
Don't you see? This is what I'm talking about. What does China have to do with you? How does ICE affect your day to day? Sure there are bad things in the world, but unless you're willing to spend your time and resources fighting them, getting involved at a meaningful level, you are better off focusing on other things. Things you can control.
- SolaceQuantum 7y ago
  "How does ICE affect your day to day?" I'm a child of immigrants and am in n immigrant family! ICE is terrifying whenever we travel, whenever my family tries to advocate that they deserve to stay with each other, etc. I worry every day if I can raise my two younger siblings by myself should my parents ever be deported!
  - sergiotapia 7y ago
    Are your parents in the US illegally?
  - sojmq 7y ago
    Nobody "deserves" to stay in another country unless they are there legally.
    - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
      Legal USA residents and citizens have been detained for months by ICE, JSYK. Believing your legal status protects you from having your rights stripped is leaving us all vulnerable.
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
        deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
      - 7y ago
losteric 7y ago
Pick one big problem to care about, then commit to at least weekly action. Leave the other problems to other people. Personally, I only have 3 weekday-hours outside of work/sleep/cooking, plus weekends. Half is spent socializing or relaxing, the other half I channel environmental concerns into volunteering in science activism (education, campaigning, networking, and donating to PACs). Outside of climate and science, I don't really follow other news above local politics. My reps are aligned with me on Trump. China/Hong Kong, same, plus I already boycott Chinese goods. Staying current on all is depressing... but individually acting on one thing is meaningful and motivating.
there_the_and 7y ago
> the environment, China, ICE, and private oligarchies This is just a list of current media narratives. The solution is to stop letting the media do your thinking for you and instead find something productive and fulfilling to do with your time and attention.
- ianleeclark 7y ago
  > The solution is to stop letting the media do your thinking for you and find something productive to do with your time and attention. While your response is incredibly callous and privileged, it's beautifully on point in regards to the feeling of many people: you're so incredibly alienated from the political process, why not go do something _productive_ because you better commodify every waking moment.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - gpanders 7y ago
    I agree this attitude does come from privilege, but so what? If someone is fortunate enough to enjoy the privilege of not having to burden themselves with worry about things they can't control, why should they? Also, there are many ways to improve the world and human society outside of the political process. If more people did what GP did and focused on their own personal well being and strengthening local/community/familial ties outside and apart of any political motivations, I think our culture and society would be the better for it.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]

IDK, I'm pretty depressed about the environment, China, ICE, and private oligarchies. Sure 2019 is better that the Middle Ages, but let's be honest. Things are not "actually amazing".

smabie 7y ago

Well, it’s all relative. Do you have a time period in mind that you would want to live instead of now?

nopriorarrests 7y ago
Late 80's and early 90's as a teenager? Look, you can visit live gigs of Nirvana, Soundgarden, Shotgun Messiah, Bad Religion and such, make some modest money and buy a couple of SF properties? What's not to like about that?
- smabie 7y ago
  Maybe we should talk about Rawl’s veil of ignorance [1]. If you did not know where you would be born or in what socio-economic class, what time period would you want to live in? Because it’s clear to me living in a 3rd world country (and, formerly, America), that the best time to be alive is now, in aggregate. If you could decide, maybe it would be great to be a king in the Middle Ages, or whatever. But if you didn’t have that choice and instead you randomly became someone, I think most people would agree that today is the best it’s ever been. Empirical statistics back this up as well. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_of_ignorance https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_of_ignorance
  - nopriorarrests 7y ago
    idk man? I explicitly specified the country and time frame? From what I know, if we talk about USA in 1985-1990 (and not USSR in 1935), there were no genocide, no mass poverty or concentration camps. Just education and housing were affordable and music was good. You had a good chance of getting almost any college degree, good job and ride the happy 90's without student debt and paying off your mortgage for a property that will increase in price at least x2 next decade.

eric_b 7y ago

Don't you see? This is what I'm talking about. What does China have to do with you? How does ICE affect your day to day? Sure there are bad things in the world, but unless you're willing to spend your time and resources fighting them, getting involved at a meaningful level, you are better off focusing on other things. Things you can control.

SolaceQuantum 7y ago
"How does ICE affect your day to day?" I'm a child of immigrants and am in n immigrant family! ICE is terrifying whenever we travel, whenever my family tries to advocate that they deserve to stay with each other, etc. I worry every day if I can raise my two younger siblings by myself should my parents ever be deported!
- sergiotapia 7y ago
  Are your parents in the US illegally?
- sojmq 7y ago
  Nobody "deserves" to stay in another country unless they are there legally.
  - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
    Legal USA residents and citizens have been detained for months by ICE, JSYK. Believing your legal status protects you from having your rights stripped is leaving us all vulnerable.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
    - 7y ago

losteric 7y ago

Pick one big problem to care about, then commit to at least weekly action. Leave the other problems to other people. Personally, I only have 3 weekday-hours outside of work/sleep/cooking, plus weekends. Half is spent socializing or relaxing, the other half I channel environmental concerns into volunteering in science activism (education, campaigning, networking, and donating to PACs). Outside of climate and science, I don't really follow other news above local politics. My reps are aligned with me on Trump. China/Hong Kong, same, plus I already boycott Chinese goods. Staying current on all is depressing... but individually acting on one thing is meaningful and motivating.

there_the_and 7y ago

> the environment, China, ICE, and private oligarchies This is just a list of current media narratives. The solution is to stop letting the media do your thinking for you and instead find something productive and fulfilling to do with your time and attention.

ianleeclark 7y ago
> The solution is to stop letting the media do your thinking for you and find something productive to do with your time and attention. While your response is incredibly callous and privileged, it's beautifully on point in regards to the feeling of many people: you're so incredibly alienated from the political process, why not go do something _productive_ because you better commodify every waking moment.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- gpanders 7y ago
  I agree this attitude does come from privilege, but so what? If someone is fortunate enough to enjoy the privilege of not having to burden themselves with worry about things they can't control, why should they? Also, there are many ways to improve the world and human society outside of the political process. If more people did what GP did and focused on their own personal well being and strengthening local/community/familial ties outside and apart of any political motivations, I think our culture and society would be the better for it.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]