Weltschmerz

[kovu]

Does anyone else feel particularly afflicted nowadays? Not in the sense that everything's worse than ever; that's not true, I know. Also, not in the sense that everything's overreported, that you get it stuffed down your throat (which you do); I don't mean that, either. I've already stopped reading the news. I've deleted every app off my phone, each app that might possibly put some story about another abused child or tortured animal into my feed. But you can't drown it all out. Even if you hide in your room all day long, every day; even if you quit your job; even if you cease interacting with other people above the bare minimum; you're exposed to all this pain, injustice, and downright cruelty. Even just the last few hours—I spent them lying in my bed, wannabe-apathetic, after seeing something about sexual abuse. Perhaps it's just my mind, finally ready to subconsciously deal with my own childhood sexual abuse, and I suffer the more for it, but that's just one of the many pains that have become too much to bear for me.

And I know one hears mainly of the bad. Drama and tragedy drive user engagement, all that facebook-algorithm stuff you read about. Why should anyone speak of the good? I know it's there; I know people still care for each other. I know people still take care of one another. I know some still go out of their way to do what's right. But why does anything else even exist? How can you be the opposite? You see people in videos kicking stray dogs. You read about another neglected infant of deadbeat parents dead before it even got a chance to live. You read of rampant sexual abuse and lifelong trauma that will forever change the outlook of the victims; some may never be able to trust again.

I don't know if I'm trying to get this off my chest by writing about it; that's what my journal is ordinarily for. Maybe I need the assurance of others reading this to make it count. I don't know; I feel so terribly sad about everything. I don't know; I'm so sorry.

 

[FuneralCry]

It certainly is so horrific how so much endless suffering exists in this repulsive world, it's a reason as to why I despise existence. The existence of life in the first place was the most terrible mistake, it could never be desirable existing in this world that is filled with endless torment and senseless cruelty.

 

[Pluto]

This is a great question, as it affects us all. People seem to have a whole spectrum of coping strategies.

* The Dark Triad approach entails detaching from any feelings of remorse, taking out one's inner rage on others, thus feeling a personal sense of coming out on top at the expense of others.

* The 'normie' approach involves building a sheltered life for oneself, again detaching from the suffering of others, and occasionally making a small effort towards goodwill. (Example: social media virtue signaling in viral justice cases like Amanda Todd.)

* The wounded healer approach involves taking a role towards genuinely helping others to the best of one's ability, such as a career in some healing profession.

* There are various esoteric approaches which variously speak of predetermination of events, a broader perspective of karma and promote self-development as the most advanced approach. This is a vast topic in itself.