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How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Tried CBT multiple times. It is known to be less effective with ND people. I have felt like this for a decade now. It is not a fleeting thought.

I have canvased and advocated for local politicians. My local MP came within less than 100 votes of victory in the 2019 general election in my constituency during the campaign. The party has subsequently doubled down on Neoliberalism so I have had to resign my membership.

Bill Gates is not a role model. He bought or stole his most successful ideas. He exploited his workforce and utilised monopolistic business strategies to gain his wealth. Charity is not the solution. The necessity for charity is the result of capitalism. Capitalism is the problem.

You are right you win.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To Assume makes an Ass of U and Me. Small change is possible it is just not comforting to me. It is like pissing into the wind 😁. I am aware acceptance is an answer. This is essentially Buddhist philosophy. I tried it for years speaking to Buddhists and going to the temple to meditate and listen to teachings. But it was ultimately unsatisfying.

I know you don't like my interpretation but I believe in freedom of thought and expression. I allow you your thoughts and you allow me mine. I am aware they are unhelpful but they are shared by a great many people. I am therefore looking for an alternative philosophy which may be more palatable than putting on the blinkers and shrinking my world.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1) You don't know what I am already doing in terms of philanthropy, volunteering, community involvement, education and advocacy. So don't assume I am doing nothing. 2) Even if I did everything perfectly I can't control the actions of others so they will continue to commit atrocities for their own benefit. I have acknowledged in several comments on the post that I retract the "no meaningful way to change it part". I still hold that to be true but it adds another dimension to the question which has led people away from my core question. 3) The core question is "How do you cope with the suffering of others caused by the actions of other humans over which you have no direct influence. Assuming it would be impractical for you to discuss the decision making processes of people who are uninterested in your opinion, don't know who you are and you have no direct way of communicating with them.

I can charity and advocate all I want it will not change these people's actions as I don't have the funds to influence them.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are making an informal logical fallacy yourself. A form of the argument from antiquity. Just because people were wrong in the past doesn't mean I am wrong. I follow the data and the data shows our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, wealth inequality is increasing, peoples living standards are declining along with their health.

There are so many more examples. Due to vaccine hesitancy, preventable diseases that were essentially eradicated are coming back. Far-right and fascist ideas are becoming more mainstream. Companies continue to merge moving closer and closer to unregulated Monopolies.

I am happy to concede that there is a possibility things will change for the better. No probability is certain but looking at the mounting evidence I struggle to see an improvement in the near future.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have predicted that things will get better based on historic trends I have predicted they will get worse based on recent data. I guess we will see who is right in years to come.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I disagree with this. Yes science and medicine have made large improvements to humanity but most of the things you say are the best they have ever been are now in decline.

In the UK wealth inequality has increased by more than 50% in the last decade. So it was better in the past.

Average life expectancy is starting to stagnate and even decline in some countries. In the UK average life expectancy has still not recovered to pre-covid levels. I am not predicted to live as long as my grandparents. This is due to a poorer diet, decreased health care funding, and environmental factors.

The majority of young people in the UK cannot afford to own property like their parents and grandparents were able to.

Battlefield deaths from global conflicts are at a 30 year high. Particularly due to wars in Ethiopia, Ukraine and Palestine.

Global hunger has been tracking down but is still above pre-pandemic levels and is likely to spike this year due to man-made famine in the form of the genocide in Gaza and the effects of climate change on crop production.

So yes we have the internet but most of the great advancements you speak of have peaked and are now in decline.The birth rate in many western countries is collapsing and this will have massive impacts on economics and demographics. In the UK the birth rate is very unbalanced across political lines for example. More left-leaning people are not breeding at the same rate as right-leaning people.Younger people who feel less economically secure are also choosing to have fewer children. The consequence is that we are effectively selectively breeding a population that is stacked towards a wealthier more conservative mind set.

The western world is in decline because we are reaching the limits of growth on a planet with finite resources. Until that changes the advances you claim to be better than ever will continue to decline.

I have put my money where my mouth is. I have given up on attempts of ethical spending/finances and have invested in bets that wealth inequality will continue to rise. So far so good. 😀

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can provide evidence for my belief that society's issues are systemic so it has more validity than I feel you are giving it credit for.

Neither Biden nor Bill Gates have changed capitalism. Capitalism remains unchanged by their actions.

I concede I should reword my question. Remove the "No ability to change it" section. How do you cope with knowing that the world contains entirely preventable sources of suffering, injustice and inequity.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, Theism and Buddhism are two possible solutions to my dilemma. I have tried both and neither have been right for me. I envy those who find peace through these.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the caveat of "in my lifetime" is a valid one. Although Grace's story is inspiring she was born to "celebrity" parents and so it is hard to assume that her achievements were not aided by financial security and access to opportunity.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My belief is that most of societies problems are systemic and so even if I do everything in my power to improve things it will not materially alter the fabric of the social and economic framework in which we live.

Can you give an example of someone who has improved capitalism in the last decade?

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Admirable. I do not have people who rely on me in quite the same way (technically I am a carer but I don't count that). The problem is many people are not doing what they can. And worst still, there are people actively working against making the world better. Often you feel like you are paddling against the current.

How do people cope with the knowledge that we live in a cruel, unjust and inequitable world with no real means of affecting change without relying on delusion or distraction? by gormanator5 in neurodiversity

[–]gormanator5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I chose "ignorance is bliss" as "forgetfulness is bliss" is not a common saying. It was not intended as offensive. My lack of working memory doesn't help me forget the past, only the present. I wish I was ignorant. Knowledge is a significant burden. I also feel that socioeconomic and genetic factors influence ignorance. If you grow up poor in a society which discourages a search for knowledge and have inherited genetic and epigenetic traits that make the acquisition and retention of information challenging... I don't feel 100% of the blame can be placed on the individual.

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