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Suicide rising across the US

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Re: Suicide rising across the US

#171

Post by adamnemecek »

sp332 wrote: post #167
ethbro wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a hilarious exchange with a 20-something person at an event recently. Me: "Is {particular social injustice} still happening in the world? I feel like that doesn't happen regularly anymore." Person: "People are doing it all the time on Instagram. I've seen two posts this month." Me: "I'm not on Instagram." Person: "It happens on Facebook too. I saw one this year." Me: "I'm not on Facebook." Person: "Then how do…

So you wanted to know something, and this person knew it, and it's funny because you wanted them not to know it either? I don't get it.

That it’s as infrequent as non existent and that few samples are extrapolated to make statements about state of the world.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#172

Post by ikeyany »

selestify wrote: post #162
ikeyany wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We already know what causes anxiety, depression, and lack of purpose. But reducing those would mean reducing the motivations for what keeps much of the economy functioning. Society depends on the premise that suicide can not and should not be understood.

What are the causes? I had been under the impression that they are not fully understood

Often times it's when expectations don't align with reality. Disillusionment stems from having been sold an idea that turns out to either be unachievable or a lie.

One such example is a middle-aged man who believes being a man means having a family you can provide for and protect, loses his job, and his wife leaves him. Another example is someone who grew up believing that lasting happiness comes from being wealthy and popular, and after throwing all else aside for 30 years realizes that it isn't the case.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#173

Post by nogbit »

JacksonGariety wrote: post #142
ams6110 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the world feels like such a blur Get off of social media and twitter. Stop watching/reading the news every day. If you want to keep up with current events, read a politically neutral monthly periodical. I grew up in the 70's and 80's. Every generation looks back on its youth as "the good old days" but things really were much less stressful then and the main difference I see is that you were not connected to a fireh…

The dilemma is that leaving social media is increasingly tantamount to leaving society, which is the basis for what remains of politics. On the other hand, the "politics" that occurs on social media is increasingly nothing other than a popularity contest. It seems hopeless.

Tantamount...not the slightest. Social media is a cesspit that hawks fly over to prey on you. Create tight knit communities (like immediate family) and leave it at that.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#174

Post by ars »

pjc50 wrote: post #140
ars wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unless you mean that the attempts to make people feel worthless are done on the basis of immutable things Yes, I do mean that. If you are white or a male you are told to "check your privilege", and that you "are not allowed to speak about issues". (Is a white male allowed to have an opinion about abortion? Ask yourself what you think, and ask others as well, and that will help you understand.) Go watch some campus…

> https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/24/politics/march-for-our-lives-... That's rather heartwarming; they clearly intuitively understand solidarity. It's not like someone is holding a gun to their heads and making them do it.

Why is it famed as a "privilege" and race issue then? They can only be inclusive if the other person is a minority?

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#175

Post by ars »

CydeWeys wrote: post #168
ars wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've really never experienced being told that unless you are a minority (ideally an oppressed one) or a victim, or at the very least, you have some non-typical sexual identity, you are worthless? You have not noticed people making up sexual identities that they don't really have? Or inventing (or inflating) victim stories about themself?

I've basically never seen the former. I do see 100X as much ranting against it though. It's hard to feel oppressed when you fit into all the majority categories. As for people "making up" aspects of their identity ... so? Who fucking cares? It doesn't affect me at all, let alone make me more prone to committing suicide!!!

> so?

You missed the point. Correct, who cares. But why are they driven to do it? It's because otherwise they are not valued. (If you have another theory let's hear it.)

> I've basically never seen the former. I do see 100X as much ranting against it though.

You don't spend enough time on college campuses, and you especially don't spend enough time listening to liberal student yell and scream if someone conservative dares to talk.

Or maybe you spend just the right amount of time LOL. Ignoring those kind of liberals probably helps one's sanity.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#176

Post by jaredklewis »

JacksonGariety wrote: post #142
ams6110 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the world feels like such a blur Get off of social media and twitter. Stop watching/reading the news every day. If you want to keep up with current events, read a politically neutral monthly periodical. I grew up in the 70's and 80's. Every generation looks back on its youth as "the good old days" but things really were much less stressful then and the main difference I see is that you were not connected to a fireh…

The dilemma is that leaving social media is increasingly tantamount to leaving society, which is the basis for what remains of politics. On the other hand, the "politics" that occurs on social media is increasingly nothing other than a popularity contest. It seems hopeless.

> The dilemma is that leaving social media is increasingly tantamount to leaving society

Aside from my debilitating addiction to HN, I don't use social media. I have a job, family, large circle of friends, and all the usual attachments to society. I vote and love to debate politics with pretty much anyone interested. How exactly would my attachment to society be improved by more social media? If HN went away tomorrow, would I no longer be a part of society?

I have found fruitful, enjoyable political discussion and social media to be more or less incompatible. Twitter and Facebook work great for the purpose of "rallying the base." Tweeting or sharing the latest polemic showing all your friends how truly liberal or conservative you are doesn't do much to bring in converts. But the political bases in the US are quickly approaching max rallied-ness. From here on out is the actually difficult tasks of changing hearts and minds, and that doesn't happen on social media.

If you care about politics, the further you get from social media the better.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#177

Post by selestify »

ikeyany wrote: post #172
selestify wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are the causes? I had been under the impression that they are not fully understood

Often times it's when expectations don't align with reality. Disillusionment stems from having been sold an idea that turns out to either be unachievable or a lie. One such example is a middle-aged man who believes being a man means having a family you can provide for and protect, loses his job, and his wife leaves him. Another example is someone who grew up believing that lasting happiness comes from being wealthy a…

So the only way for society to function is to keep the majority chasing after illusions? Seems pretty dystopian. Is there no way to have realistic expectations from life?

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#178

Post by Balgair »

adamnemecek wrote: post #43

The accelerationism of the world is really taking it's toll. I feel like the political and economical system is, idk, a result of over-application of certain tenets that might have been justified in the past but are increasingly less valid but certain forces are clinging to them because these tenets are all they have. It's not just the US, the world feels like such a blur. Very important and fucked up things are happ…

> I legit feel as if some sort of new conception of government, nations, states, rights, is really needed. I don't know what but I'm all ears.

I think it's 'natural' that we need new social-tech. Taking an incredibly coarse view of history: Hunter-gather > agriculture > industrial > today (bio_genetic-digital-AI-climate_change). At each stage we had new social structures form, why should today be any different? If anything, this fill me with hope and wonder. I've no idea what the new stage is going to look like, but I know that I am going to see it. That's really cool. Hell, I'm privileged enough to maybe have a hand in making the new paradigm. Again, I feel really lucky.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#179

Post by ikeyany »

selestify wrote: post #177
ikeyany wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Often times it's when expectations don't align with reality. Disillusionment stems from having been sold an idea that turns out to either be unachievable or a lie. One such example is a middle-aged man who believes being a man means having a family you can provide for and protect, loses his job, and his wife leaves him. Another example is someone who grew up believing that lasting happiness comes from being wealthy a…

So the only way for society to function is to keep the majority chasing after illusions? Seems pretty dystopian. Is there no way to have realistic expectations from life?

It's not the only way for society to function, but it's very effective at convincing people to be 'productive', so to speak. Realistic expectations are beneficial to the individual, but there are all kinds of forces that do not have the individual's well-being in mind.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#180

Post by pwinnski »

JacksonGariety wrote: post #142
ams6110 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the world feels like such a blur Get off of social media and twitter. Stop watching/reading the news every day. If you want to keep up with current events, read a politically neutral monthly periodical. I grew up in the 70's and 80's. Every generation looks back on its youth as "the good old days" but things really were much less stressful then and the main difference I see is that you were not connected to a fireh…

The dilemma is that leaving social media is increasingly tantamount to leaving society, which is the basis for what remains of politics. On the other hand, the "politics" that occurs on social media is increasingly nothing other than a popularity contest. It seems hopeless.

Leaving social media seems like a form of suicide until you leave social media. As your focus shifts, you start to realize that the world is not as you have believed it to be.
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