Discussion The solution to Depression

[Ferdinand Bardamu]

So, how do we solve the depression problem? Do you think a change in society is the solution - if so, what changes must be made? - or the eradication of the genes which cause depression, or something else?

 

[hikikomorizombie]

i think depression is more or less unsolvableeven ppl w objectively gr8 lives choose suicide.

we could prob lower the amount of ppl that are affected by it though, by completely changing every facet of society & life as we know it. which obv isn't an easy feat, lol. i think if we prioritized care, communication, empathy, compassion, etc for others, that alone would change a lot.

 

[sserafim]

I think that a change in society is the solution to solving depression. I assume that a lot of people are depressed because of capitalism, it's an inherently exploitative system and most people have to become wageslaves for around 50 years just to be able to pay the costs required for existence. Adulthood is basically all about survival, the central theme is working to earn money so that you can pay to exist. Work is literally modern-day-slavery. Everything on this planet costs money, nothing is free.

We live under a predatory system. Capitalism relies on the exploitation of people and their labor, and every year prices increase due to inflation and wages aren't rising to match. The cost of living is growing more and more expensive. I think that living under capitalism is a cause of depression for many. Therefore, society needs to change if it wants depression to be alleviated. Capitalism needs to be abolished and a better (more humane) system needs to be instated.

 

[Hollowman]

The solution for me is death.

 

[Tokugawa_Yoshinobu]

Depression comes from many sources but there are sources of depression that can't be changed like mental illness (well can be medicated but still) and societal circumstances, personal circumstances that be or cannot be changed. In all cases depression does not come from one source alone.

Certain things aren't good for you like social isolation but on the other hand people who treat you badly. Bad work prospects or loosing work or lost of family members or friends and partners. Or you have a case of bad physical illness and it makes you depressed e.t.c

The problem is it's all a matter of perspective. Do you want to change that? What do you consider worth living for? What do you like? Also forcing things on people is annoying and off putting. I don't want to seem like those anti-suicide advises we see all the time and find annoying but what leads to depression is the same what leads to suicide and in the end I must arrive at the point there are trends in depression but it is inherently too individually depend to completely get rid of it.

 

[Ferdinand Bardamu]

Capitalism needs to be abolished and a better (more humane) system needs to be instated.

And I take it that solution is Marxism? Either way, a take I 100% agree with.

which obv isn't an easy feat

Well, nothing worth doing is easy.

 

[Meteora]

Parents should be tested if they are capable of raising a child.

 

[R_N]

I feel we humans are so simple that we would enjoy being hooked on some device if it was able to manipulate our serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins.... while working our muscles, keeping us fed and hydrated, removing waste etc until we just drop dead.

 

[Ferdinand Bardamu]

Parents should be tested if they are capable of raising a child.

Eh, I think communal parenting is better. https://aeon.co/ideas/there-is-a-better-way-to-parent-than-the-nuclear-family

 

[Meteora]

Eh, I think communal parenting is better. https://aeon.co/ideas/there-is-a-better-way-to-parent-than-the-nuclear-family

There's a African proverb saying "it takes a village to raise a child". That's so true. Many mental health issues stem from the industrialisation and the fact that people/families started living isolated.

 

[Tokugawa_Yoshinobu]

Eh, I think communal parenting is better. https://aeon.co/ideas/there-is-a-better-way-to-parent-than-the-nuclear-family

Large extented families and also friends and neighbors helping out was the norm for the longest time. You are not wrong - communal living and parenting is good and good for mental health.

 

[sserafim]

And I take it that solution is Marxism? Either way, a take I 100% agree with.


Well, nothing worth doing is easy.

I'm not sure if Marxism is the solution, I think that Marxism is incompatible with human nature as most people are greedy, selfish and self-interested. These qualities thrive under capitalism. Most people are only looking out for themselves and don't care about anyone else, which is why I believe that communism will fail because no one wants to take one for the team. I'm not sure if there will ever even be a viable alternative to capitalism. There's a philosopher named Mark Fischer who has a theory called capitalist realism, where "it's easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism".

 

[Final_Choice]

There's a lot of factors which leads to some sort of depression, so fixing them would solve at least some types of depression. Like how being in such an oppressive society might break people down, it causes them depression due to that, making a better society that helps everyone equally would help. Even then, depression would still exist though; I don't think it can be completely cured no matter what, only minimized.

 

[BlessedBeTheFlame]

And I take it that solution is Marxism? Either way, a take I 100% agree with.

There are more types of anti-capitalism than marxism. If you've ever interacted with socialists, you will know we all hate each other and we all think everyone else isn't a true socialist. I fall close to anarcho-communism myself, but there are other types where for example a free market is maintained, but means are owned by the common. Capitalism is the use of privately owned property for manufacture and creation with the purpose of reaping monetary profits, so there are a number of ideologies opposing it. Marxism specifically proposes using a "dictatorship of the proletariat" to create a socialist society and then slowly allowing that structure to wither into a communist society, which refers to a moneyless, classless, stateless society. I disagree with that notion heavily and borrow ideas more from Kropotkin, Bookchin and Graeber myself, but Marxs economic ideas are surprisingly sound still today.

I'm not sure if Marxism is the solution, I think that Marxism is incompatible with human nature as most people are greedy, selfish and self-interested. These qualities thrive under capitalism. Most people are only looking out for themselves and don't care about anyone else, which is why I believe that communism will fail because no one wants to take one for the team. I'm not sure if there will ever even be a viable alternative to capitalism. There's a philosopher named Mark Fischer who has a theory called capitalist realism, where "it's easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism".

Kropotkin was a anthropologist and biologist, who wrote a book disproving that notion of selfish humans. He found a shitton of examples within animals and humans, where people cooperating with each other happened naturally and was to their benefit. Elinor Ostrom also won the Nobel prize for studying social structures, by which people were able to share resources fairly without greed or envy. There is an entire field of mathematical research concerned with fair and envy-less sharing, called fair cake-cutting. I could really go off more. The problem really isn't humans, but capitalism and anything associated with it (the state, enviromental destruction, bigotry, etc.).

 

[Ferdinand Bardamu]

There are more types of anti-capitalism than marxism. If you've ever interacted with socialists, you will know we all hate each other and we all think everyone else isn't a true socialist.

IK