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R U OK?

ruok.org.au

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Re: R U OK?

#111

Post by microcolonel »

ericmcer wrote: post #96

Something I am struggling with recently is less am I ok, but more do we as humans deserve to be ok? When I look at the freeways full of cars, streets lined with overflowing garbage cans, homeless encampments, grocery stores with row after row of cheap meat under fluorescent light. Am I supposed to feel ok? It many times feels as though we are a virus decimating our host environment. The constant flood of bad news com…

If you don't believe in humanity anymore, heh, you're going to get nihilistic. I think that people deserve what they earn.

> ...an inability to be away from the computer (work)...

If you are somehow feeling oppressed by having a job that you can conduct through your computer, then it's time to consider just how lucky you are, and meditate on that each morning.

I don't mean this as a dig, it is my genuine advice, I've seen it work well for myself and others.

> inability to go to a different indoor location (coronavirus)

Go somewhere which prioritizes human rights over futile attempts to control infectious disease, there are plenty of states with an intact freedom of association, where you can be indoors with other people if you are so inclined (though you may choose to keep it a bit limited).

I came to the flyover west of the country this month, and it's been great. I still have all of my mask-wearing and physical distancing habits, but they're mine now (and apparently more popular here than back in Ontario).

> I guess we do not have the power, we are not responsible for the way the world is, and we do not have to bear the guilt for it.

You are richer than the vast majority of people in the world, you have more power than you can admit to yourself; you are responsible for the way the world is, and guilty of all of its sins.

Now do the first incremental thing.

Don't make excuses, make progress.

Re: R U OK?

#112

Post by WC3w6pXxgGd »

ericmcer wrote: post #96

Something I am struggling with recently is less am I ok, but more do we as humans deserve to be ok? When I look at the freeways full of cars, streets lined with overflowing garbage cans, homeless encampments, grocery stores with row after row of cheap meat under fluorescent light. Am I supposed to feel ok? It many times feels as though we are a virus decimating our host environment. The constant flood of bad news com…

Don't live in certain poorly-run cities and you won't think this.

Re: R U OK?

#113

Post by hirundo »

cmehdy wrote: post #95
hirundo wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are several options to exit without pain. I found one on the internet, and have prepared it. It was inexpensive and the components are not particularly suspicious. It's ready to go when I am. Somehow that makes me appreciate life more. Being able to leave at will makes staying sweeter. I can let go of much of the stress by knowing that it is voluntary and temporary, which lets me focus on the simple pleasures.…

The freeing bit in that is the sense of agency and control. We are very very attached to those things because in the construction blueprints of our minds we anchor a sense of self and a sense of happiness unconditionally with control and agency. Most people don't realize just how much they actually do this because they consider themselves healthy so it's out of their mind, but for people at the edge these words take…

> figuring out how to put an increasing amount ... distance between you and your end.

I disagree. Death should be held close, to give value to life:

"Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm's length behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has. Whenever he feels that everything is going wrong and he's about to be annihilated, he can turn to his death and ask if that is so. His death will tell him that he is wrong, that nothing really matters outside its touch. His death will tell him, I haven't touched you yet." -- Carlos Castenada

Re: R U OK?

#114

Post by WC3w6pXxgGd »

josuepeq wrote: post #54

The U.S. needs this day, especially this year. With the unmitigated disaster of 2020, I’m “probably not ok,” but I am not in any danger to myself or others. Quite the opposite - I’m optimistic that things are moving in the right direction. I mean, it can’t get worse: - Shutdown my consulting Business in February because I didn’t feel comfortable with being around new people constantly with a t-cell deficient immune s…

I wouldn't say "the US needs this day," but I'm sorry you experienced all this.

Re: R U OK?

#116

Post by ekianjo »

ericmcer wrote: post #96

Something I am struggling with recently is less am I ok, but more do we as humans deserve to be ok? When I look at the freeways full of cars, streets lined with overflowing garbage cans, homeless encampments, grocery stores with row after row of cheap meat under fluorescent light. Am I supposed to feel ok? It many times feels as though we are a virus decimating our host environment. The constant flood of bad news com…

> The constant flood of bad news

You may be strongly influenced by what you watch.

Re: R U OK?

#117

Post by komali2 »

glenda wrote: post #105
swyx wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there's a lot of bad in the world, but also keep in mind the Steven Pinker argument that we have progressed a lot compared to human history as well. as for dealing with it - personally i embrace the idea of "keep your circle of concern as small as possible to your circle of influence". practically, it works out to "stop giving a crap" which i know is not responsible en masse. i guess the only thing to do if you feel…

It sounds like you’re making excuses for the world as it is. The OP is right though. These aren’t things we have to live with just because Steven Pinker said the world is better off now than before... We are in control of our environment to a certain extent and have the capability of transforming it into something other than an isle of cheap meats under florescent lighting. We are capable of ending systemic violence…

Well, we're trying, aren't we? Do we give up because we aren't perfect yet and instead start trying to end the species? I'm not sure the objective of fatalist arguments.

"We don't deserve to be ok" ?like, it's nearly impossible to get anything done when not ok (aka depressed). Fatalism will hurt efforts, not help, based on personal experience.

Re: R U OK?

#118

Post by ekianjo »

glenda wrote: post #105
swyx wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there's a lot of bad in the world, but also keep in mind the Steven Pinker argument that we have progressed a lot compared to human history as well. as for dealing with it - personally i embrace the idea of "keep your circle of concern as small as possible to your circle of influence". practically, it works out to "stop giving a crap" which i know is not responsible en masse. i guess the only thing to do if you feel…

It sounds like you’re making excuses for the world as it is. The OP is right though. These aren’t things we have to live with just because Steven Pinker said the world is better off now than before... We are in control of our environment to a certain extent and have the capability of transforming it into something other than an isle of cheap meats under florescent lighting. We are capable of ending systemic violence…

> We can get rid of cars and build more beautiful cities!

We don't have cars because we love driving and waste hours in traffic or something. They have a purpose and solve problems.

Re: R U OK?

#119

Post by anm89 »

Remember, if you are in the US at least, and someone tells you they aren't ok, and you recommend a crisis line, and they mention anything regarding suicide, they are very likely going to be extracted from their living situation by force and end up incarcerated at very high expense to themselves.

If their life was going poorly before that, it sure won't be better after.

edit: as another poster mentioned, the record of this could follow you around for life as well.

Re: R U OK?

#120

Post by ARandomerDude »

bradenb wrote: post #108
ericmcer wrote: post #96

Something I am struggling with recently is less am I ok, but more do we as humans deserve to be ok? When I look at the freeways full of cars, streets lined with overflowing garbage cans, homeless encampments, grocery stores with row after row of cheap meat under fluorescent light. Am I supposed to feel ok? It many times feels as though we are a virus decimating our host environment. The constant flood of bad news com…

Of course we deserve to be OK. Every species* deserves to be OK and every species fights to be OK. We have a lot of work to do to make sure we don't ruin our "host," but the fact that we are aware of the problem already--to me--says a lot about our desire to give up some comforts for a greater good. I think as a species we're always just doing the best we think we (collectively) can do at any given time. Some individ…

> Every species* deserves to be OK

Please don't take this is as contrarian trolling, but as a catalyst for reflection: what makes that statement true? What is the foundation for us deserving to be OK?

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