'Deaths of despair' soaring among Gen Z & millennials: 'It's the economy, stupid'

[100ToOne]

What are your thoughts on this?

'Deaths of despair' soaring among Gen Z & millennials: 'It's the economy, stupid'

Young Americans are killing themselves in record numbers, the victims of a confluence of economic and sociological factors that have singled them out - even above a nationwide surge in so-called "deaths of despair."

www.rt.com

 

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[Primeperiwinkle]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

 

[Deleted50669]

I was almost one of these folks until I corrected my mind last year.

I have friends in a similar place that I've been working to coach. With some its effective, others seem convinced they know everything, and conclude that there is no room for self-improvement or learning. People in their 20s speak as though they've already lived their whole life in error, even though people in their 40s or 50s refer to us as 'kids' metaphorically. Debt is no doubt the primary driver for the bottoming-out cycle, but there are many other trends to blame. I have more debt than almost anyone in the country, and probably will for years to come, but I no longer allow it to stop my progress. These people see it as irreversible. Couple that with a set of egos larger than your average rapper - who actually has money to brag about - and that's a recipe for cognitive dissonance incomprehensible to an outside observer. I see the problem largely as an ego-driven set of false beliefs that, over time, erode confidence and any perception that life is worth living.

 

[ZF Lee]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

Doesn't this sound like 95% of the developed world?

I'd have to admit though that some of these 'voices' pull at me these days, even though I know about UNSCRIPTION.

There's lots of ways to find the right meetups, networks, resources and other stuff to develop oneself, but of course there's the time needed to test and see which mix of friends, ideologies, food, habits bring out the best in you. And will the folks make time for that?

I have friends in a similar place that I've been working to coach. With some its effective, others seem convinced they know everything, and conclude that there is no room for self-improvement or learning.

How much time do you spend to coach folks? A few mins?

I've been quite reluctant to do so, even when I know what I know far outpaces what they know.
I just feel like I still don't know something, no matter what results I bring up.
Maybe its part of the symptoms from being in exam-orientated environments for 15 years haha.

 

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[Deleted50669]

Doesn't this sound like 95% of the developed world?

I'd have to admit though that some of these 'voices' pull at me these days, even though I know about UNSCRIPTION.

There's lots of ways to find the right meetups, networks, resources and other stuff to develop oneself, but of course there's the time needed to test and see which mix of friends, ideologies, food, habits bring out the best in you. And will the folks make time for that?


How much time do you spend to coach folks? A few mins?

I've been quite reluctant to do so, even when I know what I know far outpaces what they know.
I just feel like I still don't know something, no matter what results I bring up.
Maybe its part of the symptoms from being in exam-orientated environments for 15 years haha.

At one time probably 20 or 30 minutes. But that will happen once or twice a month, if they invite it. I'm a masters in psychology, so putting the degree to use for once. But at the end of the day people need to reason for themselves, my credentials are irrelevant. I can only ask questions that get them asking themselves the right questions.

 

[Kak]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

This post is absolutely phenomenal. Thank you!

 

[Solais]

Yep. That's what happens when you live a self-absorbed life. You eventually conclude spending $$$ on shit doesn't really satisfy your long-term goals, if you even have any, and adopt a very defeatist and nihilistic attitude when consumerism fails to materialize into purpose.

I used to be like this back in my late teens/early 20's. Thankfully, I never stopped learning and I discovered (through reading multiple bloggers + "self-help" authors + the creator of this website himself) that this type of thinking is doomed. Certain types of thinking will lead to certain paths, which is a concept most still are unable to grasp.

A random, off-topic point that needs to be made is that 80% of self-help authors are indeed low quality. However, I knew that the remaining 20% is where the jewels of wisdom are to be found, so even though I read some some shoddy advice early on, I eventually landed on the """GOOD""" ones. It really is a probability game, no matter which board you play on.

 

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[rpeck90]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

It's because of the middle class.

I thought about it the other week -- all of the West's present woes can be tied back to government imperatives (especially since WW2) to build out a middle class at the expense of everything else (to keep the money spinning).

Being middle class has to be one of the biggest scams ever. You're basically bred as a consumer slave to serve on a plantation called suburbia... "producing" products/services that perpetuate the non-existence of other consumer slaves on the slave farm...

All the houses, cars, electronics, home equipment, jobs, etc are built around a middle class who have become increasingly dependent on the government and large conglomerates to keep them alive.

Look at the emerging economies - Brazil, Mexico, China, India. What's the one thing that defines how far they grow? The development and gentrification of their middle class. The "consumer class" who live in suburbia in some shit house, paying all the tax and doing very little to actually be productive.

Without going on a tangent, what it means is that if you want to "escape" the above (which should be the second step of any entrepreneurial individual -- right after the FTE), you basically have to completely extricate yourself from its grip. This is as mental as it is physical.

How you do it becomes your story, but the one reason why most entrepreneurs never succeed -- and, actually, why your post holds so much reverence -- is because the modern system has evolved into a means of indoctrination to get as many people into this class as possible (the more people dependent on the system gives credence to all the idiots politicians and other non-jobs whose sole purpose is to perpetuate it).

MJ calls it the "script", Marx called it the Bourgeoisie -- the idea that "one day" you too could end up with a picket fence and 2.4 kids. But that's not how it works now. From the rampant ads on TV to the hoards of instagram sluts, everyone is trying desperately to achieve "freedom"... but eventually realize the only freedom they get is deciding which of the 10,000 worthless cable channels they're going to watch "after work".

This is the hopeless case of the modern tax slave, why most people are stupid, and those who wake up often find themselves in a hinterland between wanting to escape, and not having the capacity to do so. The weak ones often turn to drugs or other forms of hedonism as a means to numb the pain. The strong go inward and focus on finding their own purpose within the tumult.

 

[Mattie]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

I have to agree moving to Europe, the teens and younger generation is a bit more happier in the this culture in the Netherlands. Perhaps not perfect, but I've noticed America needs to change their tune in many different ways.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

It's because of the middle class.

I thought about it the other week -- all of the West's present woes can be tied back to government imperatives (especially since WW2) to build out a middle class at the expense of everything else (to keep the money spinning).

Being middle class has to be one of the biggest scams ever. You're basically bred as a consumer slave to serve on a plantation called suburbia... "producing" products/services that perpetuate the non-existence of other consumer slaves on the slave farm...

All the houses, cars, electronics, home equipment, jobs, etc are built around a middle class who have become increasingly dependent on the government and large conglomerates to keep them alive.

Look at the emerging economies - Brazil, Mexico, China, India. What's the one thing that defines how far they grow? The development and gentrification of their middle class. The "consumer class" who live in suburbia in some shit house, paying all the tax and doing very little to actually be productive.

Without going on a tangent, what it means is that if you want to "escape" the above (which should be the second step of any entrepreneurial individual -- right after the FTE), you basically have to completely extricate yourself from its grip. This is as mental as it is physical.

How you do it becomes your story, but the one reason why most entrepreneurs never succeed -- and, actually, why your post holds so much reverence -- is because the modern system has evolved into a means of indoctrination to get as many people into this class as possible (the more people dependent on the system gives credence to all the idiots politicians and other non-jobs whose sole purpose is to perpetuate it).

MJ calls it the "script", Marx called it the Bourgeoisie -- the idea that "one day" you too could end up with a picket fence and 2.4 kids. But that's not how it works now. From the rampant ads on TV to the hoards of instagram sluts, everyone is trying desperately to achieve "freedom"... but eventually realize the only freedom they get is deciding which of the 10,000 worthless cable channels they're going to watch "after work".

This is the hopeless case of the modern tax slave, why most people are stupid, and those who wake up often find themselves in a hinterland between wanting to escape, and not having the capacity to do so. The weak ones often turn to drugs or other forms of hedonism as a means to numb the pain. The strong go inward and focus on finding their own purpose within the tumult.

Great post.

I will add, based on my own experience, that the middle class is now being decimated. Gone are the factory jobs with strong unions to represent them so they can obtain a somewhat prosperous lifestyle. Gone is the loyal partnership bond between employer and employee. Now it's everyone for themselves, and everyone is replaceable. In its place are mega-chains and franchised stores that are run by corporate giants. The Wal-Marts and McDonalds of the world have refined their business models with laser precision so that every job/position is a pigeon hole from which there is no escape and only token advancements over the years.

MJ was/is a true visionary. The matrix is very much alive and thriving.

 

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[luniac]

In the past 5 years out of college, I've felt many times that I've been surviving more than living.

Its the whole reason im even pursuing the fastlane, if you don't absolutely LOVE your job, I dont know how its possible to be happy in america any other way.

More people should read unscripted , i support "flunking out" of the system as the article says, i sure did.

 

[Damien C]

It's not at all surprising. Many of my high school counterparts are going to to the wall. They've joined cults, are turning to drugs, alcohol, sex, anything to mask the chronic emptiness and lack of purpose. Of course on social media it's all legs by the pool and $2.50 juices with shaved ice.

And yes it will get worse, because there are increasingly fewer places in the world where one can simply show up and be told what to do / have a decent life. Whether these people like it or not, the risk and responsibility has been shifted almost entirely from company to customer. Throw in all the other uncertainty, sky high cost of living and basic healthcare and you have a recipe for disaster.

For those on here who are currently in the process of creating and scaling up the modern, nimble enterprises of tomorrow, it'd typically be your place to take on these people and guide them back towards productive pursuits that align with their own values. Unfortunately for the displaced, most of the roles they'd normally fill can be done better with the help of either an API or somebody in a developing country.

I don't know what the answer is. Tax robots and throw the unemployed a bone? Give them more in welfare? Matrix like headsets to allow them to simulate the good life, or let them die off, survival of the fittest? That's the trillion dollar question and elephant in the room facing global leaders. So far I've seen very little interest in solving this looming problem. Paper the problem over and stick a few bandaids on it, all good. Carry on.

Any decent country should currently be putting frameworks and programs in place to give those struggling a helping hand up, providing they'll genuinely work for it. Creativity needs to be nurtured and encouraged, and from much earlier ages. Education needs to be overhauled. These transition programs need to be run to move people from the old economy into the new. They don't have to be government programs, the private sector should be pulling it's weight too.

I'd like to hope that the entrepreneurs of tomorrow will pay it forward and use some profits for positive social and environmental outcomes. At some point selfishly they'll have to, as wealth doesn't matter if society doesn't function.

 

[The Abundant Man]

I have to agree moving to Europe, the teens and younger generation is a bit more happier in the this culture in the Netherlands. Perhaps not perfect, but I've noticed America needs to change their tune in many different ways.

How are Europeans happier and why? How do you think Americans can learn from the Europeans?

 

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[SamRussell]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

Best post in the thread.

There are an appalling lack of heroes in Western culture.

Virtue has been inverted - entrepreneurs are made out to be villains, and talentless thieves become mega stars. The only way the press will write favourably about someone succeeding in business, is if they sacrifice themselves and give away large amounts of their wealth.

On a fundamental level, rational thought is being replaced with emotion as the standard of knowledge. People are taught that knowledge is reciting a list of facts, not understanding a system.

One of my friends from school summed up the modern attitude best "the only way to get ahead is to wait for your parents to die and inherit from them, so you can get on the property ladder".

 

[MTF]

How are Europeans happier and why? How do you think Americans can learn from the Europeans?

Can't speak for Mattie, but from my own observations (this obviously doesn't apply to all Americans or all Europeans, it's silly to even use the word "European" considering so many different cultures in Europe and the same goes for the US and the differences between, say, a Texan, and a person from North Dakota) here are some of the reasons (just to emphasize: it's only my uneducated opinion):

• In the US, eating habits are largely about stuffing yourself and eating low quality food over eating something of high-quality slowly, enjoying the flavor, taking your time, talking with your family or just enjoying the day doing nothing (go to any Mediterranean country or most European countries in the summer to see what I'm talking about). In Europe the portions are much smaller and there's more focus on eating good food, not just eating a lot of food.
• The infrastructure seems to be designed to promote unhappiness. You need a car to get anywhere. There are few or no convenience stores which are always within walking distance anywhere in Europe. The cities are not walkable, with everything concentrated in specific areas, usually far away from the residential areas instead of everything being close to each other. With so much traffic, forced to drive every day, stress levels inevitably go up.
• Vacation policy or its lack thereof. It's inconceivable for pretty much any European that you get less than three weeks of paid vacation days a year (if at all) and often don't even use it at all. I'd say that a lot of people in Europe would rather have more vacation days than a higher salary because they often value their time more than money.
• I enjoy the unique US spirit of pioneer freedom, but at the same time I have a feeling that because of that, the social ties are weaker than in countries with a more collaborative and communal perspective on life. I'm conflicted about that because I'm more of a loner than a social butterfly, but research shows that human connection is very important for happiness and living in a community (like a typical European neighborhood with people living in apartments) encourages this more than living in a huge house on a huge plot of land.
• Success is largely defined by money or fame, which means that people look up to celebrities and often look down on people not successful in the traditional meaning of the word. If you define your worth largely by money or other external signs of status, you're bound to feel unhappy. Compare it to countries where people don't talk as readily about money and don't care that much what other people do for a living. Boundaries largely disappear in a more egalitarian society with people being kinder to each other (I've found this to be particularly visible in Australia which is in many ways very similar to Europe).
• A society that doesn't feel like it particularly cares for the well-being of others considering a huge number of homeless people. Not sure what causes that, but in all of my travels, the country where I saw by far the most homeless people was the US. Now, I don't think that people should be obligated to help the homeless, but I would personally find it hard to be happy, no matter how rich, if I were surrounded by the homeless every day. You feel better when everyone around you is well-off.
• A lot of Americans seem to know very little about the world outside the borders, while pretty much every European has been to another country, speaks at least a little bit of a foreign language, and is generally more tuned it to the entire world, not just their own country. I think that this helps be less obsessed about the local politics, local problems, etc. and gives you a bigger picture and possibly a more optimistic worldview.

Just to reiterate: it's just my observation, obviously including generalizations. Not every place in America is like that, and in the same way, not every place in Europe is like that. But in general, I think that many of these reasons are why people living in some countries are happier than in others.

 

[The Abundant Man]

Can't speak for Mattie, but from my own observations (this obviously doesn't apply to all Americans or all Europeans, it's silly to even use the word "European" considering so many different cultures in Europe and the same goes for the US and the differences between, say, a Texan, and a person from North Dakota) here are some of the reasons (just to emphasize: it's only my uneducated opinion):

• In the US, eating habits are largely about stuffing yourself and eating low quality food over eating something of high-quality slowly, enjoying the flavor, taking your time, talking with your family or just enjoying the day doing nothing (go to any Mediterranean country or most European countries in the summer to see what I'm talking about). In Europe the portions are much smaller and there's more focus on eating good food, not just eating a lot of food.
• The infrastructure seems to be designed to promote unhappiness. You need a car to get anywhere. There are few or no convenience stores which are always within walking distance anywhere in Europe. The cities are not walkable, with everything concentrated in specific areas, usually far away from the residential areas instead of everything being close to each other. With so much traffic, forced to drive every day, stress levels inevitably go up.
• Vacation policy or its lack thereof. It's inconceivable for pretty much any European that you get less than three weeks of paid vacation days a year (if at all) and often don't even use it at all. I'd say that a lot of people in Europe would rather have more vacation days than a higher salary because they often value their time more than money.
• I enjoy the unique US spirit of pioneer freedom, but at the same time I have a feeling that because of that, the social ties are weaker than in countries with a more collaborative and communal perspective on life. I'm conflicted about that because I'm more of a loner than a social butterfly, but research shows that human connection is very important for happiness and living in a community (like a typical European neighborhood with people living in apartments) encourages this more than living in a huge house on a huge plot of land.
• Success is largely defined by money or fame, which means that people look up to celebrities and often look down on people not successful in the traditional meaning of the word. If you define your worth largely by money or other external signs of status, you're bound to feel unhappy. Compare it to countries where people don't talk as readily about money and don't care that much what other people do for a living. Boundaries largely disappear in a more egalitarian society with people being kinder to each other (I've found this to be particularly visible in Australia which is in many ways very similar to Europe).
• A society that doesn't feel like it particularly cares for the well-being of others considering a huge number of homeless people. Not sure what causes that, but in all of my travels, the country where I saw by far the most homeless people was the US. Now, I don't think that people should be obligated to help the homeless, but I would personally find it hard to be happy, no matter how rich, if I were surrounded by the homeless every day. You feel better when everyone around you is well-off.
• A lot of Americans seem to know very little about the world outside the borders, while pretty much every European has been to another country, speaks at least a little bit of a foreign language, and is generally more tuned it to the entire world, not just their own country. I think that this helps be less obsessed about the local politics, local problems, etc. and gives you a bigger picture and possibly a more optimistic worldview.

Just to reiterate: it's just my observation, obviously including generalizations. Not every place in America is like that, and in the same way, not every place in Europe is like that. But in general, I think that many of these reasons are why people living in some countries are happier than in others.

I agree with everything on here.

 

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[Deleted50669]

Can't speak for Mattie, but from my own observations (this obviously doesn't apply to all Americans or all Europeans, it's silly to even use the word "European" considering so many different cultures in Europe and the same goes for the US and the differences between, say, a Texan, and a person from North Dakota) here are some of the reasons (just to emphasize: it's only my uneducated opinion):

• In the US, eating habits are largely about stuffing yourself and eating low quality food over eating something of high-quality slowly, enjoying the flavor, taking your time, talking with your family or just enjoying the day doing nothing (go to any Mediterranean country or most European countries in the summer to see what I'm talking about). In Europe the portions are much smaller and there's more focus on eating good food, not just eating a lot of food.
• The infrastructure seems to be designed to promote unhappiness. You need a car to get anywhere. There are few or no convenience stores which are always within walking distance anywhere in Europe. The cities are not walkable, with everything concentrated in specific areas, usually far away from the residential areas instead of everything being close to each other. With so much traffic, forced to drive every day, stress levels inevitably go up.
• Vacation policy or its lack thereof. It's inconceivable for pretty much any European that you get less than three weeks of paid vacation days a year (if at all) and often don't even use it at all. I'd say that a lot of people in Europe would rather have more vacation days than a higher salary because they often value their time more than money.
• I enjoy the unique US spirit of pioneer freedom, but at the same time I have a feeling that because of that, the social ties are weaker than in countries with a more collaborative and communal perspective on life. I'm conflicted about that because I'm more of a loner than a social butterfly, but research shows that human connection is very important for happiness and living in a community (like a typical European neighborhood with people living in apartments) encourages this more than living in a huge house on a huge plot of land.
• Success is largely defined by money or fame, which means that people look up to celebrities and often look down on people not successful in the traditional meaning of the word. If you define your worth largely by money or other external signs of status, you're bound to feel unhappy. Compare it to countries where people don't talk as readily about money and don't care that much what other people do for a living. Boundaries largely disappear in a more egalitarian society with people being kinder to each other (I've found this to be particularly visible in Australia which is in many ways very similar to Europe).
• A society that doesn't feel like it particularly cares for the well-being of others considering a huge number of homeless people. Not sure what causes that, but in all of my travels, the country where I saw by far the most homeless people was the US. Now, I don't think that people should be obligated to help the homeless, but I would personally find it hard to be happy, no matter how rich, if I were surrounded by the homeless every day. You feel better when everyone around you is well-off.
• A lot of Americans seem to know very little about the world outside the borders, while pretty much every European has been to another country, speaks at least a little bit of a foreign language, and is generally more tuned it to the entire world, not just their own country. I think that this helps be less obsessed about the local politics, local problems, etc. and gives you a bigger picture and possibly a more optimistic worldview.

Just to reiterate: it's just my observation, obviously including generalizations. Not every place in America is like that, and in the same way, not every place in Europe is like that. But in general, I think that many of these reasons are why people living in some countries are happier than in others.

I agree with most of this.

 

[Rivoli]

What are your thoughts on this?

'Deaths of despair' soaring among Gen Z & millennials: 'It's the economy, stupid'

Young Americans are killing themselves in record numbers, the victims of a confluence of economic and sociological factors that have singled them out - even above a nationwide surge in so-called "deaths of despair."

www.rt.com

Post modernist in a world where nothing matters, up is down, down is up. Nobody believes in anything anymore.

 

[Rabby]

Don't forget that if you feel unsatisfied, the expectation is that you fix it with a Xanax prescription. Just build the dam higher and hope the river doesn't overflow.

 

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[Tourmaline]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

That's so grim!

I suppose that was me though not even 5 years ago lol.

I ordered my mind and connected with myself, nature, and life and now things are much better. I'm also no longer a leftist...funny how that came along with the change...

 

[Roli]

Can't speak for Mattie, but from my own observations (this obviously doesn't apply to all Americans or all Europeans, it's silly to even use the word "European" considering so many different cultures in Europe and the same goes for the US and the differences between, say, a Texan, and a person from North Dakota) here are some of the reasons (just to emphasize: it's only my uneducated opinion):

• In the US, eating habits are largely about stuffing yourself and eating low quality food over eating something of high-quality slowly, enjoying the flavor, taking your time, talking with your family or just enjoying the day doing nothing (go to any Mediterranean country or most European countries in the summer to see what I'm talking about). In Europe the portions are much smaller and there's more focus on eating good food, not just eating a lot of food.
• The infrastructure seems to be designed to promote unhappiness. You need a car to get anywhere. There are few or no convenience stores which are always within walking distance anywhere in Europe. The cities are not walkable, with everything concentrated in specific areas, usually far away from the residential areas instead of everything being close to each other. With so much traffic, forced to drive every day, stress levels inevitably go up.
• Vacation policy or its lack thereof. It's inconceivable for pretty much any European that you get less than three weeks of paid vacation days a year (if at all) and often don't even use it at all. I'd say that a lot of people in Europe would rather have more vacation days than a higher salary because they often value their time more than money.
• I enjoy the unique US spirit of pioneer freedom, but at the same time I have a feeling that because of that, the social ties are weaker than in countries with a more collaborative and communal perspective on life. I'm conflicted about that because I'm more of a loner than a social butterfly, but research shows that human connection is very important for happiness and living in a community (like a typical European neighborhood with people living in apartments) encourages this more than living in a huge house on a huge plot of land.
• Success is largely defined by money or fame, which means that people look up to celebrities and often look down on people not successful in the traditional meaning of the word. If you define your worth largely by money or other external signs of status, you're bound to feel unhappy. Compare it to countries where people don't talk as readily about money and don't care that much what other people do for a living. Boundaries largely disappear in a more egalitarian society with people being kinder to each other (I've found this to be particularly visible in Australia which is in many ways very similar to Europe).
• A society that doesn't feel like it particularly cares for the well-being of others considering a huge number of homeless people. Not sure what causes that, but in all of my travels, the country where I saw by far the most homeless people was the US. Now, I don't think that people should be obligated to help the homeless, but I would personally find it hard to be happy, no matter how rich, if I were surrounded by the homeless every day. You feel better when everyone around you is well-off.
• A lot of Americans seem to know very little about the world outside the borders, while pretty much every European has been to another country, speaks at least a little bit of a foreign language, and is generally more tuned it to the entire world, not just their own country. I think that this helps be less obsessed about the local politics, local problems, etc. and gives you a bigger picture and possibly a more optimistic worldview.

Just to reiterate: it's just my observation, obviously including generalizations. Not every place in America is like that, and in the same way, not every place in Europe is like that. But in general, I think that many of these reasons are why people living in some countries are happier than in others.

Very true, and I would add to that the opiod crisis. I heard a shocking figure that America whom represent less than 5% of world population, consume 80% of the opiods produced on the planet. It seems like the unholy alliance between drug and insurance companies has lead to a prescription culture, which you don't see in Europe.

 

[Roli]

Post modernist in a world where nothing matters, up is down, down is up. Nobody believes in anything anymore.

I like to call it post truth. Any idiot can put up a youtube video about the earth being flat or doughnuts being fruit and they are hailed as some kind of cross between Einstein and the Dali Lama.

 

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[Primeperiwinkle]

*clears throat softly

This is a serious problem we’re discussing. A big problem affecting lots and lots of ppl...

We’re problem solvers right? That’s what being an entrepreneur is.

How do we solve this?

How do we build a business that helps?

I highly recommend The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher as a starting point. It’s not perfect.. but it’s a start. He discusses what the Benedictine monks accomplished after the Fall of Rome and makes a convincing argument that we should do what they did, to a certain degree.

My ideas all revolve around four points:

1.) Virtuous Education: We need to preserve the stories that hold on to honor, loyalty, determination, self-sacrifice, perseverance, humility, selflessness, etc. Libraries are currently trashing whole sections of books because they don’t fit a political agenda. How can we preserve the classics or make them more available to others? How can we pass on a love of learning to the next generation? (Like we do here, every day, hopefully.)

2.) Communities in real life, not just online: ppl need touch, assistance, caring. We need to be connected again. How can we connect ppl easier? They’re anxious, afraid, timid. What’s a business idea that would alleviate this pain point?

3.) Nature: how are we benefiting the land we live on, while respecting what it does for us? Most ppl can name all their favorite characters but none of the plants in their neighborhood. We have mountains of trash in America, literally. How can we engage ppl with the earth again? How can we make composting fun? I’m reminded of the company Imperfect Produce.

Health: We are overweight, eating fake food, despising movement. How can we confront, inspire, uplift, and get ppl excited to spend their money to become healthier?


Forming deep connections with excellence; the good, the true, the beautiful.. enlivens the soul.

I think it would be pretty awesome if we started working on solving this problem.. and surely if we help enough ppl and scale the hell out of it.. we can make some money too?

I remain pragmatically hopeful. Lol

 

[SamRussell]

I like to call it post truth. Any idiot can put up a youtube video about the earth being flat or doughnuts being fruit and they are hailed as some kind of cross between Einstein and the Dali Lama.

Worryingly true.

 

[luniac]

*clears throat softly

This is a serious problem we’re discussing. A big problem affecting lots and lots of ppl...

We’re problem solvers right? That’s what being an entrepreneur is.

How do we solve this?

How do we build a business that helps?

I highly recommend The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher as a starting point. It’s not perfect.. but it’s a start. He discusses what the Benedictine monks accomplished after the Fall of Rome and makes a convincing argument that we should do what they did, to a certain degree.

My ideas all revolve around four points:

1.) Virtuous Education: We need to preserve the stories that hold on to honor, loyalty, determination, self-sacrifice, perseverance, humility, selflessness, etc. Libraries are currently trashing whole sections of books because they don’t fit a political agenda. How can we preserve the classics or make them more available to others? How can we pass on a love of learning to the next generation? (Like we do here, every day, hopefully.)

2.) Communities in real life, not just online: ppl need touch, assistance, caring. We need to be connected again. How can we connect ppl easier? They’re anxious, afraid, timid. What’s a business idea that would alleviate this pain point?

3.) Nature: how are we benefiting the land we live on, while respecting what it does for us? Most ppl can name all their favorite characters but none of the plants in their neighborhood. We have mountains of trash in America, literally. How can we engage ppl with the earth again? How can we make composting fun? I’m reminded of the company Imperfect Produce.

Health: We are overweight, eating fake food, despising movement. How can we confront, inspire, uplift, and get ppl excited to spend their money to become healthier?


Forming deep connections with excellence; the good, the true, the beautiful.. enlivens the soul.

I think it would be pretty awesome if we started working on solving this problem.. and surely if we help enough ppl and scale the hell out of it.. we can make some money too?

I remain pragmatically hopeful. Lol

you know that really got me thinking about the Noah's ark story.
I don't take the bible literally, but metaphorically there's some great lessons to learn.

Maybe the great flood, downfall of rome, and today's social crises are the same type of cyclical event,
a great societal collapse and inevitable chaos, and the strategy is to wait it out through strong knit family and community ties.

kinda creepy actually.

I mean hell im almost 29 and I still live with my mother and brother, it's either them or some random roomates cause i can't afford to rent in New York City alone, even on 50k salary its almost a risky paycheck to paycheck ordeal.
At 20 i never would have imagined this is how things would turn out for me, but times have sure changed since the 2008 financial crash.
A lot of things seemed to have happened between 2006-2010, that's when facebook started getting big, and the first iphone came out.
It's like a perfect storm if you think about it, a shitty economy, explosion of the internet and social media, smartphones in every pocket.

Nobody could have predicted the repercussions.

 

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[Tourmaline]

I like to call it post truth. Any idiot can put up a youtube video about the earth being flat or doughnuts being fruit and they are hailed as some kind of cross between Einstein and the Dali Lama.

That would be too easy. Most people can figure out if a youtube video is obviously false or not if it's spouting stupidity.

Postmodernism is a different beast. It created a framework to deconstruct any system. It's quite dangerous, even if useful, when not paired with some actually positive framework.

It has been applied to nearly everything, and the unholy union between postmodernism feminism and marxist thought has created quite a monster.

*clears throat softly

This is a serious problem we’re discussing. A big problem affecting lots and lots of ppl...

We’re problem solvers right? That’s what being an entrepreneur is.

How do we solve this?

How do we build a business that helps?

I highly recommend The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher as a starting point. It’s not perfect.. but it’s a start. He discusses what the Benedictine monks accomplished after the Fall of Rome and makes a convincing argument that we should do what they did, to a certain degree.

My ideas all revolve around four points:

1.) Virtuous Education: We need to preserve the stories that hold on to honor, loyalty, determination, self-sacrifice, perseverance, humility, selflessness, etc. Libraries are currently trashing whole sections of books because they don’t fit a political agenda. How can we preserve the classics or make them more available to others? How can we pass on a love of learning to the next generation? (Like we do here, every day, hopefully.)

The past is useful to learn from, but we cannot expect people today to accept such stories.

What we need is new media that echoes such stories, wisdom, morality/ethics, into a form that will be easily digested and accepted by people today. It has to be able to be seen on Netflix and Youtube by most 18 year olds and liked.

2.) Communities in real life, not just online: ppl need touch, assistance, caring. We need to be connected again. How can we connect ppl easier? They’re anxious, afraid, timid. What’s a business idea that would alleviate this pain point?

More organizations focused around helping people achieve and helping their local community.

One large part of connection however is with one's self, nature, god, and others. A lot of people have cut themselves off entirely from the rest of existence.

3.) Nature: how are we benefiting the land we live on, while respecting what it does for us? Most ppl can name all their favorite characters but none of the plants in their neighborhood. We have mountains of trash in America, literally. How can we engage ppl with the earth again? How can we make composting fun? I’m reminded of the company Imperfect Produce.

Health: We are overweight, eating fake food, despising movement. How can we confront, inspire, uplift, and get ppl excited to spend their money to become healthier?


Forming deep connections with excellence; the good, the true, the beautiful.. enlivens the soul.

I think it would be pretty awesome if we started working on solving this problem.. and surely if we help enough ppl and scale the hell out of it.. we can make some money too?

I remain pragmatically hopeful. Lol

Connect with the earth. Feel the earth. Listen to the earth. Etc.

These would be first steps. From that comes caring about the earth and respecting the earth.

I don't think composting will ever be fun. It's simply not. It's work. It's dirty. Rather businesses that make good money dealing with our landfills and by composting will likely be the solution, how they profit and are funded however I am unsure of.

Why people are unhealthy and eat what they eat is more of the issue. Most do it for pleasure and instant gratification, because they lake pleasure and feeling good as a whole. It's not much different than why some people drink a lot of alcohol or smoke a lot of weed.

 

[Roli]

Most people can figure out if a youtube video is obviously false or not if it's spouting stupidity.

I beg to differ.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

That would be too easy. Most people can figure out if a youtube video is obviously false or not if it's spouting stupidity.

Postmodernism is a different beast. It created a framework to deconstruct any system. It's quite dangerous, even if useful, when not paired with some actually positive framework.

It has been applied to nearly everything, and the unholy union between postmodernism feminism and marxist thought has created quite a monster.



The past is useful to learn from, but we cannot expect people today to accept such stories.

What we need is new media that echoes such stories, wisdom, morality/ethics, into a form that will be easily digested and accepted by people today. It has to be able to be seen on Netflix and Youtube by most 18 year olds and liked.



More organizations focused around helping people achieve and helping their local community.

One large part of connection however is with one's self, nature, god, and others. A lot of people have cut themselves off entirely from the rest of existence.



Connect with the earth. Feel the earth. Listen to the earth. Etc.

These would be first steps. From that comes caring about the earth and respecting the earth.

I don't think composting will ever be fun. It's simply not. It's work. It's dirty. Rather businesses that make good money dealing with our landfills and by composting will likely be the solution, how they profit and are funded however I am unsure of.

Why people are unhealthy and eat what they eat is more of the issue. Most do it for pleasure and instant gratification, because they lake pleasure and feeling good as a whole. It's not much different than why some people drink a lot of alcohol or smoke a lot of weed.

Wow, you are full of sunshine and sparkles today huh? I understand but.. not everything is impossible.

Ughhh dude. I’m the first to admit that the world is full of crap right now but turns out there are a TON of ppl shining in the darkness and fanning the flames of goodness, truth, and beauty.

There ARE small composting businesses all over the country that are having fun and doing good. This is an old article but a very cool one. Businesses find cash in composting organic trash

There ARE ppl teaching classics to kids, kids reading Shakespeare, Edmunds, and Plutarch and those kids? They’re amazing. CiRCE Institute comes to mind.

There ARE churches of all kinds of denominations that are bringing ppl closer to spirituality.

If you don’t see opportunity here.. I can’t help you.

 

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[reedracer]

They have no stories of worth, no traditions to be proud of, no absolute truth, no identity beyond what they feel, no meaning except what they create and they aren’t creative.

This is the product of American education, post-modernist relativistic philosophies, poisoned food, an utter disconnect/disregard from nature, and a society that values animal lives over human ones.

It will get worse.

I'd only add the media relentless decrying we are one step from oblivion because of this leader or that leader, a company, etc. This is occurring on multiple sidedes of the political spectrum.
I work to stop veteran suicides and one of the first thing I tell these guys is to quit watching the news! The despair it creates if horrific. Next is, as you stated, start bringing them into a community and to celebrate them for who they are.
I like the idea of stories for people to connect with.
I like what Mike Rowe is doing with Returning the Favor

 

[Bekit]

I have a 93-year-old relative who was my grandfather's first cousin. We call him Tigg. He's sharp as a tack, hilarious, cheeky, and still living with his wife in his own home. They've been married for 72 years and they both claim they've never had an argument.

Great source of perspective on the world and where things have been and where they're headed.

He made a comment recently that really got me thinking.

He was telling the story of when he and all the other young men joined up for World War II. They were all rural country boys. He said, "They didn't have any education to speak of, but they were all in very sound mental health."

I thought of the contrast between then and now. I had just heard a statistic (probably hyperbole, but unsettlingly close to the truth) that the mental health of the average high-schooler today is approximately comparable to the mental health of the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s.*

It just made me wonder - what was in the environment in those times that was different from what we have today? I think there's something about being raised outside, doing hard physical work, that contributes to making a person mentally sound... but what else was there to it?

*Edit - I found where I read this. I mis-remembered it slightly. "The average child today exhibits the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s." - psychologist Robert L. Leahy, Anxiety Free: Unravel Your Fears Before They Unravel You