Discussion Would humanity be better off without it's delusions?

[Forever Sleep]

So- to an extent I do get the sentiment that humanity would be better off without deluding itself. Notions like 'toxic positivity', illusions of self importance- even religion (depending on whether you believe it is factual.)

Still- WOULD it really be better if we no longer told each other and ourselves stories? Or- at least- we all recognised that they were all fictions from the start?... No more Santa Claus for a start. Would we have ambition or hope at all? Seeing as both are based on future events that aren't factual. Would we be able to distract or really lose ourselves in media anymore?

I don't know. Maybe I'm taking it to the extreme. I guess that because I'm from a creative background, I've always really valued my sense of wonder. I suppose I tend to pair that more with illusion rather than cold hard facts.

I guess I just wonder in terms of how our brains work- there are DEFINITELY a whole bunch of things that I don't want to do in life. Sometimes- the only way I can motivate myself to do them is to lie to myself- things MIGHT improve if you do this- even though you don't want to. I think as children- we're made to do chores we don't want to do because we're told we 'have' to. (For instance, a child of my friend's hated brushing their teeth.) I think life is just full of stuff we likely don't want to do. Unless you're super talented, hard working and lucky- in which case- you MIGHT end up in a job you enjoy- I think many of us don't like going to work. Still- the alternative of being destitute is even worse. I think we maybe just dellude ourselves with positivity because it would be even harder to get through it if we didn't.

I think it would help US (as in- the suicidal) if more people at least QUESTIONED certain things: Why is there this obligation to enjoy life or at the very least- to stay alive? I think that sentiment does revolve around things like religion and this idea of self importance. If it truly only is about the impact it would have on other people- how fair is that on the person that is suffering?

Still- I sometimes wonder- in terms of actually being stuck with this life- and living it at a level that is bearable- maybe we NEED these delusions to keep us going. For instance- I don't think 'recovery' from depression is possible without trying to think positive. Just how realistic those positive thoughts are is likely doubtful- considering where we're at- yet- without them- there's nothing to strive for. What do you think?

 

[rationaltake]

One person's delusion is another person's absolute truth. And both people can be right.

 

[Source Energy]

I'm all on board with getting rid of Santa Claud, religion ( Gawd as a deity, Heaven, Hell, sin, and stuff).
Positive thinking is a good thing to an extent. Some people are in circumstances so bad that they can't think positive anymore. Forcing fake positivity on them is cruelty.
Also, we should get rid of idealizing life and forcing everyone to stay alive. Assisted suicide doctor practice should be as common and easy as, say, dentists.
society needs a lot of mind opening.

 

[FuneralCry]

Yes, I certainly believe that it would be better if humans no longer believed in delusions, as believing in a delusion could likely just lead to more torment once one has to face the reality of this existence. And to me it's harmful when people push delusional beliefs onto others, and this is what pro lifers try to do with their "life is a gift" beliefs.
Positivity and hope related delusions just leads to the cruel reality of this existence being dismissed and people suffering more as a result, so therefore I would see it as being beneficial to just see life for what it really is and to be completely aware of the reality of this existence.