Is this a mental health advice request or an invitation to rant? Serious question. We can do one of these, but not both, I think.
Are you sure rants aren’t (or can’t be) good for mental health?
Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
61–70 of 175 posts
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#62I assume previous generations had similar feelings with the looming threat of nuclear annihilation for 30 years. I came of age in that wonderful time between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11. It feels that was an unusual period of time without major threat - however still had the messes of the balkans, terrorists blowing up kids in my home town, A couple of wise words. One from decades ago: Que será, será Whateve…
> I assume previous generations had similar feelings with the looming threat of nuclear annihilation for 30 years.
The threats yea, but I don’t think this sense of exponential acceleration was the same
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#63My biggest problem right now is thanks to Claude I'm making much faster progress on my passion project and I'm working in a maniac state almost, but then I remind myself that it's probably meaningless because if things progress as they have, anyone can just copy what I've built, and if we get to AGI all bets are off anyway. Balancing these two moods is tough. Lots of sleepless nights lately. Thankfully I have a large…
> robably meaningless because if things progress as they have, anyone can just copy what I've built Most other people lack the prerequisite skills even with Claude at their disposal. And it was always the case that other people could copy your things, it's just the effort was much higher, now it's more accessible. Regardless, I would suggest you don't let this deter you from bringing something new into this world. It…
I like working on it and will definitely release it, just don't want to set myself up for disappointment later. Try to enjoy the process of creation instead. But, it could also be that it's something that has value for a few years, and maybe that's enough.
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#64If you open yourself to be cranked up, you'll get cranked up constantly. Pollution is real - a legit problem and a worthy cause, but the anthropogenic global warming thing was always just wealth extraction by elites. They cranked up at least three generations scaring them half to death and making them crazy and depressed and now, oh ... it was nothing, we need more power for AI data centers, you can go sod off now. N…
> “anthropogenic global warming thing was always just wealth extraction by elites. They cranked up at least three generations scaring them half to death and making them crazy and depressed and now, oh ... it was nothing, we need more power for AI data centers”
This kind of conspiracy-driven anti-science crankery is part of the problem.
The science behind anthropogenic global warming hasn’t changed. Since you’re clearly unfamiliar with it, here’s a good introduction with many references: https://royalsociety.org/news-resources/projects/climate-cha...
The group of people pushing large AI data centers have essentially no overlap with the people who raising the alarm about climate change based on very strong scientific evidence.
> Covid itself likely came out of a lab, and it seemed to be designed to kill the elders.
More crankery.
Apparently some people deal with the concerns raised by OP by retreating into weird fantasies that give them an illusion of understanding or control. It’s a mild form of insanity.
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#65This is a very understandable way to feel, but I promise you the world is not quite so close to destruction as you might feel, though that isn't to say the risks aren't real and worth counter-acting. The goal is to ensure that you are well-grounded within yourself and avoid becoming overwhelmed but at the same time to stay engaged with the things that matter; total disengagement is not the way.
Stepping away from rolling news and/or social media of the scrolly-scrolly variety is probably a good step 1!
Next, try finding something you can work towards that exists outside of the spaces that are causing this stress: e.g. take up running, practice a musical instrument, or read some fiction. In short: touch grass.
Finally, when you feel calm: identify issues in the middle of the Venn diagram of things you care about and things you have the ability to affect. If this is, e.g. US domestic politics, then maybe join an activist group or attend some protests about issues close to your heart; if it's the genocide in Palestine, then there are many international solidarity campaigns you can get involved with; if it's the environmental poly-crisis then look at ways you might be able to leverage small efforts for big payoffs like joining a campaign for walk-able neighbourhoods or donating money to legal foundations looking to hold the people most responsible for these crises to account. If you want to find the power to affect change, you must join with others in an organised fashion; relying on individual action and market forces sure as shit hasn't helped yet and I doubt that will change anytime soon.
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#66I have plans.
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#67maybe stay away from news if they make you anxious?
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#68Go to anthropic/google/openai/xai/whatever website.
Navigate to Jobs.
There are still a motherfucking load of openings for software engineers?
If yes, go back to work and stop worrying.
Oh, but tomorrow....
Tomorrow is another day, you worry about it when it comes.
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#69>AI I'm apathetic. It's there, it's a tool. >international conflicts I am fortunate enough to not live in the countries mentioned. I am close to Ukraine so this one is sort-of important to me in terms that I don't want Russia to win, but at the same time there's no point in following the news closely. If something big happens I will most definitively hear about it whether I'd like it or not. >The US / Europe Nothing…
All of the above. Stop reading the news. It makes you depressed or angry. Go hiking. Walk on the beach. Play with a dog or your children. Climb a tree. Leave the slave slab phone at home, or delete every news and social app. Do not browse the web. Take a book and read. It will be hard at first. Then it gets easier. Best thing I ever did. Reminder. What passes for news today wouldn’t have registered for most people 10…
> Reminder. What passes for news today wouldn’t have registered for most people 100 years ago.
Up to a point. There are some things that should not be ignored, e.g., "Trump says he's not mulling a draft executive order to seize control over elections":
* https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-hes-not-mul...
"Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency":
* https://archive.is/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2...
Re: Ask HN: How are you all staying sane?
#70All this and I'm just thinking how I might finally get a good job somewhere