Poll: What does thinking about all the suffering in the world cause in you?

[noname223]

Yesterday I was at my self-help group and we talked about the suffering in the world. Whether to avoid it or face and stuff like that. I mentioned something about trauma dumping how cynical that is. I read the take from someone on here. It was also the question. What is more important the search for the truth or one's own mental health. Whether medication only distorts you perception and deceive you. I argued against that. At one point I said something like I also thought a lot about all the suffering and pain that takes place every single second on this world. But I stopped to do this excessively because otherwise I would have killed myself a long time ago. The others were low key shocked about that statement. They told me all the suffering in the world does not make them suicidal. Instead they become angry. I found that interesting so I wanted to pose the same question in this forum. Of course it is more complex than simply angry, suicidal, apathetic etc. It is often multi-faceted. But there is often one emotion that overweighs.

I will go with depressed and suicidal and hopelessness. I will give to votes. I would be interested to hear for psychoanalysts what the answers imply for someone's mental state.

I reposted this poll. To include hopelessness and empathy. I threw some options out instead. Sorry for the people who already voted.

 

[Praestat_Mori]

There's too much suffering in the world but I neither have control over it nor do I cause it nor can I stop it in any way.

 

[derpyderpins]

I don't know that any of those get it quite right. I dislike suffering, of course, and I feel for them, so I picked empathy, but it's not real empathy because I don't know what it's like to be in some of the awful parts of the world.

One thing I've learned lately is that I have to focus on the immediate impact I can have around me, pick my battles, and know when to stop to preserve my own wellbeing. You can reach out your hand to help someone up, but if they snap at it like a wild animal you've got to move on or you'll just get bitten. So, I guess "powerlessness," because I can't help and save everybody. But thinking about the world's suffering also centers me to be grateful for what I have and understand my place on this big planet.

 

[Kalista]

initially it was anger for me. huge amounts of anger. i asked myself the same questions as others would have, "why are they doing that to themselves?" for the ones that actually had to option to do something different. i wanted to try and help, to convince them to fight back along side with them, because you usually can't do it on your own. tried, but was dismissed. if everyone actually fucking stood by each other 'united and as one,' then things can change to reduce the suffering of others, but i found that people are generally weak willed and so god damn passive. desensitized, obedient even. throwing phrases around like "it is what it is" or "that's just how the world works." those phrases alone are so fucking sad to hear from someone and i feel so very sorry for them.
we only watch from a distance and complain, or argue about it offline (specially online hiding behind our usernames) and there's never any real action taken.

it's all very exhausting, sad, depressing. it's why one person can't try to fix things alone.

it's pretty much pointless to actively think about all the suffering in the world if you're never going to do anything about it. it's a waste of time and energy when you barely have any for yourself. you can pretend you're helping by volunteering, donating some garbage you own or bits of money here and there. even then the difference it makes is so damn minuscule that it barely scratches the surface to make any real reduction of the suffering. donated cash is also mishandled and doesn't go directly to the ones that it was meant for. things are only being maintained, not improved. none of it is going to stop because you're fighting a permanent system in place that is against you and the real source of the problem is not the one being dealt with. and until then, we are stuck in this state for decades and more. even some things are going backwards because of people with a 60's mentality or earlier spreading their stupidity which in turn affects a large majority of the population in many ways.

 

[DoubleUp8]

I had about 4 or 5 boxes checked and then it said i can only pick 2. The number 1 is anger. I feel some of the other emotions as well but it's close call for number 2. What I feel most ( i live in usa and a lot the previous 12 years in California) and I see the people. All the people dying on the streets in California and get God damn angry that in the wealthiest state in the richest country in history and they allow this!

initially it was anger for me. huge amounts of anger. i asked myself the same questions as others would have, "why are they doing that to themselves?" for the ones that actually had to option to do something different. i wanted to try and help, to convince them to fight back along side with them, because you usually can't do it on your own. tried, but was dismissed. if every one actually fucking stood by each other 'united and as one,' then things can change to reduce the suffering of others, but i found that people are generally weak willed and so god damn passive. desensitized, obedient even. throwing phrases around like "it is what it is" or "that's just how the world works." those phrases alone are so fucking sad to hear from someone and i feel so very sorry for them.
we only watch from a distance and complain, or argue about it offline (specially online hiding behind our usernames) and there's never any real action taken.

it's all very exhausting, sad, depressing. it's why one person can't try to fix things alone.

it's pretty much pointless to actively think about all the suffering in the world if you're never going to do anything about it. it's a waste of time and energy when you barely have any for yourself already. you can pretend you're helping by volunteering, donating some garbage you own or bits of money here and there. even then the difference it makes is so damn minuscule that it barely scratches the surface to make any real reduction of the suffering. donated cash is also mishandled and doesn't go directly to the ones that it was meant for. things are only being maintained, not improved. none of it is going to stop because you're fighting a permanent system in place that is against you and the real source of the problem is not the one being dealt with. and until then, we are stuck in this state for decades and more. even some things are going backwards because of people with a 60's mentality or earlier spreading their stupidity which in turn affects a large majority of the population in many ways.

Some of what you are saying was making sense to me but not all. I don't get the 60s mentality reference. Don't understand what you mean by that. But you're on the right track talking about permanent perpetuated situation and money mishandled is putting it mildly. More like flagrant corruption!

 

[Defenestration]

Shame of me.
Im a privilèged....
and i think ctb all Time.
i have chance in life

 

[Linda]

I don't have the capacity to think about all the suffering in the world. I think about the people I encounter, in real life and on this site, and I do what I can to help them. I suppose I regard the suffering of people beyond that as not really my concern. I didn't design the world, I'm not responsible for all its problems. My responsibility is to do what I can in respect of the people I come into contact with.

"Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set ..." [That was spoken by Gandalf, in The Lord of the Rings, and it has always seemed a sensible attitude to me.]

 

[lacrimosa]

This post reminds me of a George Carlin routine.

 

[Beyond_Repair]

Primarily anger, for me. The unfairness that some people, through no fault of their own, no flaw in character, by complete coincidence and luck of the draw, must endure suffering and abuse and neglect, while more privileged others have the ability to look away, deny, victim-blame, and ignore ignites rage in me.

I also despair knowing that there is no hope of significant improvement, despite actions by well-meaning individuals or organizations, because of human nature being what it is. The potential for greed, power, and corruption will always prevail as long as the human race continues its existence

 

[DoubleUp8]

initially it was anger for me. huge amounts of anger. i asked myself the same questions as others would have, "why are they doing that to themselves?" for the ones that actually had to option to do something different. i wanted to try and help, to convince them to fight back along side with them, because you usually can't do it on your own. tried, but was dismissed. if every one actually fucking stood by each other 'united and as one,' then things can change to reduce the suffering of others, but i found that people are generally weak willed and so god damn passive. desensitized, obedient even. throwing phrases around like "it is what it is" or "that's just how the world works." those phrases alone are so fucking sad to hear from someone and i feel so very sorry for them.
we only watch from a distance and complain, or argue about it offline (specially online hiding behind our usernames) and there's never any real action taken.

it's all very exhausting, sad, depressing. it's why one person can't try to fix things alone.

it's pretty much pointless to actively think about all the suffering in the world if you're never going to do anything about it. it's a waste of time and energy when you barely have any for yourself already. you can pretend you're helping by volunteering, donating some garbage you own or bits of money here and there. even then the difference it makes is so damn minuscule that it barely scratches the surface to make any real reduction of the suffering. donated cash is also mishandled and doesn't go directly to the ones that it was meant for. things are only being maintained, not improved. none of it is going to stop because you're fighting a permanent system in place that is against you and the real source of the problem is not the one being dealt with. and until then, we are stuck in this state for decades and more. even some things are going backwards because of people with a 60's mentality or earlier spreading their stupidity which in turn affects a large majority of the population in many ways.

Some of what you are saying was making sense to me but not all. I don't get the 60s mentality reference. Don't understand what you mean by that. But you're on the right track talking about permanent perpetuated situation and money mishandled is putting it mildly. More like flagrant corruption!

 

[Kalista]

I had about 4 or 5 boxes checked and then it said i can only pick 2. The number 1 is anger. I feel some of the other emotions as well but it's close call for number 2. What I feel most ( i live in usa and a lot the previous 12 years in California) and I see the people. All the people dying on the streets in California and get God damn angry that in the wealthiest state in the richest country in history and they allow this!

Some of what you are saying was making sense to me but not all. I don't get the 60s mentality reference. Don't understand what you mean by that. But you're on the right track talking about permanent perpetuated situation and money mishandled is putting it mildly. More like flagrant corruption!

60's mentality is related to all of those people who think and support people like Trump. he brought out even more the already existing racism, sexism, misogyny and enforced it. his voters reflect his intelligence. he alone is evidence enough of corruption. making his population of supporters so much more comfortable with how they feel towards women such as taking rights away for abortion. leaving all the rights to men in power whether in government/state.
running the country became an entertainment as problems in within continue to be a spectacle for people to watch on the news.

that's all i'm going to say about this. only responding to clarify the reference.

 

[wCvML2]

I can't literally think of all the suffering in the world because my brain can't grasp suffering beyond a certain amount (that's why individual examples of suffering are given to represent systemic suffering), and then it just feels like infinity which also becomes nothing, hence why I revert back into inaction. But during the thought process I do feel a sense of hopelessness because if the world's suffering is still around after millions of years, I don't think we have the control to stop it from continuing for another millions of years.

 

[Neon Grave]

I often wish that I cared less about the suffering of others because it genuinely fucks me up to know that so many people in the world are in that position and it feels like I'm the only person who gives a shit 90% of the time. Many people DO default to "that's just how it is" or "it could be worse." Yeah, I'm sure it could be worse, but does that mean the bar is set so fucking low that we can't even be bothered to TRY fighting for fair treatment? We're just going to turn the other way because we want them to suffer MORE before we can justify getting involved?

I get furious with other people's indifference and they act like I'm the person in the wrong. I should feel okay that people are doing worse off than me, and not feel compelled to change those circumstances. They make me feel insane sometimes for having any amount of sympathy.

 

[DoubleUp8]

60's mentality is related to all of those people who think and support people like Trump. he brought out even more the already existing racism, sexism, misogyny and enforced it. his voters reflect his intelligence. he alone is evidence enough of corruption. making his population of supporters so much more comfortable with how they feel towards women such as taking rights away for abortion. leaving all the rights to men in power whether in government/state.
running the country became an entertainment as problems in within continue to be a spectacle for people to watch on the news.

that's all i'm going to say about this. only responding to clarify the reference.

I'm glad you clarified because just saying 60s mentality opens up to a lot of interpretation. I agree with your clarification points but would have never associated any of that with 1960s or 60s mentality. Maybe you meant 60s as in people 60 or older. I more associate those things with the 21st century. And I am dreading what horrors the 2nd Trump term is going to bring and fully expect the narcissistic son of a bitch to be elected again and won't be surprised whatever happens then. But where is leadership ever going to come from in America? Both parties that have a stranglehold on our government and politics are thoroughly corrupt and crazy Bobby Kennedy got no shot. I wish Americans would wake up and realize and start voting with open minds to any candidates that are neither dems or Republicans. Put those 2 corrupt outfits outta business. It could not be worse than what they're offering. The worst choice of presidential candidates in my lifetime and we gotta have that again?