4 ms·

No, I don’t want to sound cold but I’m sorry to say… this is called “life.” Our parents had tough times, and their parents had tough times, and so on throughou

No, I don’t want to sound cold but I’m sorry to say… this is called “life.” Our parents had tough times, and their parents had tough times, and so on throughout history. People have dealt with famines, wars, oppression, economic struggles, disease and death for thousands of years. I’m not suggesting the feelings of burnout aren’t real. I’m just saying that every generation experiences some level of hardship and it’s OK. That’s not burnout. It’s just life.

ls15 4y ago
I think that burnout is describing a deficit in one's ability to adequately respond to such stressors due to a lack of mental energy.
_qyyd 4y ago
Yeah, it is life as we (collectively) created it for ourselves. All the hardships we experience on different parts of the world. We enable it. We are distancing ourselves from a natural way of life. Gabor Mate implies that indigenous people had a fulfilling life, as they followed their instincts (their needs). Some of us can afford to benefit from the fruits of cheap labor. We first worlders are aristocrats in a sense, as we are of the "ruling class" to an extent. We don't see the suffering there. Out of sight, out of mind. When I look at the US and other first world countries, it is an open secret that those who appease the ruling class, will get a pass in their elections[1]. It is really strange that people like Mario Draghi and other ex-Goldman Sachsers get influential positions in state institutions. The one thing I keep in mind is that, most of us (if not all) have the potential for evil. See also a couple of talks and lectures from Robert Sapolsky. I don't doubt, for a second, that I would be a Nazi too, if I lived at that time. I am a sheep. Likewise, I have my biases. It is hard to see all of your biases and understand yourself 100%. Let alone understand the thing what we call "reality". We even assume things (e.g., in math, physics), since we can't be 100% sure on anything, it seems. We assume that our experience is "real", and we can't prove it. However, we hold on to that, since it appears sensible and the (current) alternative seems to lead to nowhere. I think, therefore I am. A sensible assumption, I suppose. However, we exploit not only people from other parts of the world, but we also exploit our own. People working for you in stressful jobs for very low salaries. This happens even in Germany. Cheap bananas, coffees and labor. We get a taste of aristocracy. Thinking of Naval Ravikant stating that we're relatively well off compared to medieval peasants. However, this is at the expense of other people. It isn't fair. But no one cares, really. Neither do I, which is horrible. I am therefore evil. I am no better than American/European (Goldman Sachsers, Time Warner Company etc.) or Russian oligarchs. So who am I to criticize others, when I should be criticizing myself? Really, if they want to nuke the Northern Hemisphere away, what can we do against it? They have the power, we really can't have a significant impact on these decisions[1]. Therefore, out of control, out of mind (i.e., stoicism). 1) https://obrag.org/2015/01/princeton-study-u-s-no-longer-an-actual-democracy/ https://obrag.org/2015/01/princeton-study-u-s-no-longer-an-a...
sudden_dystopia 4y ago
It’s the nuclear risk that is worrying me. All the other stuff are “normal” problems we have had for thousands of years but nuclear is existential. Yea, there was the Cold War, but I feel like this new threat is much more dangerous than that era.
humanistbot 4y ago
> Our parents had tough times, and their parents had tough times, and so on throughout history. US baby boomers had the best luck to be born in a time of massive prosperity, and opportunities have been steadily declining since then. My father didn't go to college and worked construction. He didn't own the company, just manual labor. He could pay the mortgage on a nice house in the suburbs and support a family on one working class salary. Today, if they sold their house at current market value, I could not afford to buy it with the tech worker salary I make.
- speakfreely 4y ago
  But your quality of life is actually better. More advanced medical care, more access to information on improving yourself, your career. Tons of opportunities to try new things using online training that was never previously accessible. The only difference is that this new level of connectivity also is showing (if you're looking) how everyone else is doing and allowing you to constantly make quantitative comparisons. Now you're aware of what everyone house on your street is worth and where all your rich friends are taking vacations. But you don't have to buy into it. Stop counting other peoples' money and you'll be much happier.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- sn0w_crash 4y ago
  My parents were not “US boomers” Not everyone on HN is from the US.
  - humanistbot 4y ago
    That's why I specified.
Dig1t 4y ago
Yeah that's true, I think there's a lot going on in the world right now, but there is some truth in what you say. Things in the past were a lot worse than they are now. The constant threat of nuclear war, more sickness, various wars around the world, etc. The difference now is that we all just get too much information about what's going on in the world, we have access to information about ALL of the world's problems all the time. It's just too much and is difficult to deal with for many people. It takes real self-discipline and self-awareness to tune it out.
- ostenning 4y ago
  I think a big difference between then and now is how we interacted amongst each other. I somehow feel that the old days there were more community events and structures to keep people working together to achieve a common goal. Now it just feels completely chaotic, with everyone trying to dismantle the system and structures that made life more “cohesive”. The result is increased anarchy, and its pretty frightening

ls15 4y ago

I think that burnout is describing a deficit in one's ability to adequately respond to such stressors due to a lack of mental energy.

_qyyd 4y ago

Yeah, it is life as we (collectively) created it for ourselves. All the hardships we experience on different parts of the world. We enable it. We are distancing ourselves from a natural way of life. Gabor Mate implies that indigenous people had a fulfilling life, as they followed their instincts (their needs). Some of us can afford to benefit from the fruits of cheap labor. We first worlders are aristocrats in a sense, as we are of the "ruling class" to an extent. We don't see the suffering there. Out of sight, out of mind. When I look at the US and other first world countries, it is an open secret that those who appease the ruling class, will get a pass in their elections[1]. It is really strange that people like Mario Draghi and other ex-Goldman Sachsers get influential positions in state institutions. The one thing I keep in mind is that, most of us (if not all) have the potential for evil. See also a couple of talks and lectures from Robert Sapolsky. I don't doubt, for a second, that I would be a Nazi too, if I lived at that time. I am a sheep. Likewise, I have my biases. It is hard to see all of your biases and understand yourself 100%. Let alone understand the thing what we call "reality". We even assume things (e.g., in math, physics), since we can't be 100% sure on anything, it seems. We assume that our experience is "real", and we can't prove it. However, we hold on to that, since it appears sensible and the (current) alternative seems to lead to nowhere. I think, therefore I am. A sensible assumption, I suppose. However, we exploit not only people from other parts of the world, but we also exploit our own. People working for you in stressful jobs for very low salaries. This happens even in Germany. Cheap bananas, coffees and labor. We get a taste of aristocracy. Thinking of Naval Ravikant stating that we're relatively well off compared to medieval peasants. However, this is at the expense of other people. It isn't fair. But no one cares, really. Neither do I, which is horrible. I am therefore evil. I am no better than American/European (Goldman Sachsers, Time Warner Company etc.) or Russian oligarchs. So who am I to criticize others, when I should be criticizing myself? Really, if they want to nuke the Northern Hemisphere away, what can we do against it? They have the power, we really can't have a significant impact on these decisions[1]. Therefore, out of control, out of mind (i.e., stoicism). 1) https://obrag.org/2015/01/princeton-study-u-s-no-longer-an-actual-democracy/ https://obrag.org/2015/01/princeton-study-u-s-no-longer-an-a...

sudden_dystopia 4y ago

It’s the nuclear risk that is worrying me. All the other stuff are “normal” problems we have had for thousands of years but nuclear is existential. Yea, there was the Cold War, but I feel like this new threat is much more dangerous than that era.

humanistbot 4y ago

> Our parents had tough times, and their parents had tough times, and so on throughout history. US baby boomers had the best luck to be born in a time of massive prosperity, and opportunities have been steadily declining since then. My father didn't go to college and worked construction. He didn't own the company, just manual labor. He could pay the mortgage on a nice house in the suburbs and support a family on one working class salary. Today, if they sold their house at current market value, I could not afford to buy it with the tech worker salary I make.

speakfreely 4y ago
But your quality of life is actually better. More advanced medical care, more access to information on improving yourself, your career. Tons of opportunities to try new things using online training that was never previously accessible. The only difference is that this new level of connectivity also is showing (if you're looking) how everyone else is doing and allowing you to constantly make quantitative comparisons. Now you're aware of what everyone house on your street is worth and where all your rich friends are taking vacations. But you don't have to buy into it. Stop counting other peoples' money and you'll be much happier.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
sn0w_crash 4y ago
My parents were not “US boomers” Not everyone on HN is from the US.
- humanistbot 4y ago
  That's why I specified.

Dig1t 4y ago

Yeah that's true, I think there's a lot going on in the world right now, but there is some truth in what you say. Things in the past were a lot worse than they are now. The constant threat of nuclear war, more sickness, various wars around the world, etc. The difference now is that we all just get too much information about what's going on in the world, we have access to information about ALL of the world's problems all the time. It's just too much and is difficult to deal with for many people. It takes real self-discipline and self-awareness to tune it out.

ostenning 4y ago
I think a big difference between then and now is how we interacted amongst each other. I somehow feel that the old days there were more community events and structures to keep people working together to achieve a common goal. Now it just feels completely chaotic, with everyone trying to dismantle the system and structures that made life more “cohesive”. The result is increased anarchy, and its pretty frightening