Always been a “Glass looks about 50/50 to me” kind of guy, but lately things not under my control have made me feel very negative. I know it’s not me, because I’m not that important that my feelings enter into it, but I’ve noticed how bleak my vision has gotten recently.
These things include: the likelihood that Trump and his minions just might skate scot-free away from the awful things they’ve done, which ties in with the fate of the planet: I foresee a dark future of a poisoned Earth, with hellish temperatures and oil spills everywhere, due in part to a deteriorating infrastructure (pipes collapsing, viruses endemic with no vaccines and no way to administer the ones we develop, bridges crumbling on a daily basis, etc.) plus I’ve lost all interest in sporting events, which used to occupy a goodly chunk of my week (and my livelihood), and I’m not interested in reading, watching movies, discussing current events, which occupied the rest of my time.
I’m not depressed in the least. In fact, I’m sort of cheerful in a nihilistic kind of way. HA HA HA we’re going to Hell in a handbasket!! Might as well enjoy the ride.
Well, you’re not alone. I’ve been feeling the same way for the same reasons. I’ve had to step back from the evening news, and talking politics with my husband, because that usually happens when we’re having a few glasses of wine and I’m not well in control of my emotions. I still read the news all damn day anyway, because I need to hear that the former president and his minions are getting their comeuppance. I guess I still have enough naïveté left to think that’s going to happen.
I could maybe enjoy the handbasket ride if I hadn’t had children. The thought of what they may have to endure terrifies me.
It pisses me off because these criminals and traitors will get off with light sentences, if they get anything at all. ‘Don’t want to look partisan’. Well republicans are screaming from the hill tops how partisan they are.
“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.” - H.L Mencken
I’m not advocating violence, but there are a LOT of morons out there that refuse the COVID vaccine because of the bullshit of the previous administration, Qanon, FOX, etc. THEY are killing people. They are trying to overthrow the United States government.
And nothing happens to them.
I’m am lucky though, I live where I don’t have to deal directly with MAGA idiots. And I work from home.
I know. I’m blessed in exactly that way. And that enables me to look at what folks who lack those luxuries must endure on a daily basis. I don’t see how one or two of them avoids going postal on a daily basis. Maybe that’s the unstated goal of the MAGA-crazies, to incite some lefties to go nuts so they can say “See/ There are lunatics all across the political spectrum!”
I’m too ticked off to give in to despair. Damn it, I’m not going quietly! Plus I figure the surest way to guarantee that the Trumpsters and anti-vaxx idiots and climate-change deniers get their way is to give up and decide it’s inevitable. That would make me an accessory after the fact, and I refuse to play that role.
Speaking as a psychotherapist, you’re not at all alone though I still feel bad for you and others who are having a hard time. Going into another pandemic winter really lowers peoples’ resilience and increases ambient stress.
I went to see my PCP yesterday. She came into the room, hesitated, then bumped my shoulder with hers. I said, “Hey! Practically my first human contact in 15 months!” and we both got a little tremulous.
Nihilism seems totally rational when all objective evidence proves the futility of hope. And as Eeyore observes, without hope there is no disappointment. Things are looking up the more broken they get. Lovineveryminuteofit!
I went to the Dr. on Friday morn, got to work started feeling dizzy and went downhill from there rapidly, (diagnosis dehydration/low electrolytes) but she was embarrassingly grateful to me for being fully vaxxed and boosted and compliant and engaged with her as she administered my infirmity of the moment…it must be really bad when a doc is excited to see a patient like me so much that she forgot to chide me for being a smoker.
As for the OP, I feel ya fellow handbasketeer, I watch the news as little as I can. Sometimes that little feels like too much.