I make a point to read the news, geopolitics, local stuff, scientific discoveries, basically as much as I can to be well informed about the world around me. I understand that a lot of journalism is meant to be inflammatory, but when I look at objective facts like the recent lake michigan oil spill or the documented ecological terror that is fracking, I can't help but hate everything about our civilization. Armies before us have burned cities, fields, salted the earth in their wake, but never before have we been so committed to destroying everything that sustains life. I keep bringing up ecological issues because that's what at the forefront of my mind today, but this anger that I feel, and the depression when I realize I am literally (In the original meaning, not the internet meaning) powerless to stop any of it, and those responsible will likely profit from their abuses, becomes overwhelming.
I know to live as a human is to suffer, and that it is my attachment that causes the pain, but detaching from the world around me and not caring that any of this is going on seems elitist, short minded, and cruel. My heart breaks, and it breaks because I love, and deeply. What do I do? When I've meditated on these things I end up at suicide or full open revolution.
This planet will survive us, and has been through much much worse many times over. We may work to save our planet or we won't, and the Yellowstone Caldera will erupt again. Lake Michigan itself is a temporary puddle left after the last glacial sheet covered Michigan just 10,000 years ago. With or without us, it likely won't be here much longer on a geological timescale. Every age is the end of one and the beginning of another. That's not to say that these things don't matter. They do as much as anything else does. However, I think it's worth understanding that the value that we put on our natural environment only resides within us. There's a lot of good in this world, but it isn't expressed well on a global scale. If you want to feel better about how the natural environment fairs in the US, visit China or India.
I understand that on geologic or stellar time, none of it matters. I also understand that China and India are screwing their environment worse than we are, but I just get this feeling that because we have so much more, because there are so many of us that are directly aware of it, because we have the capability to be better than millions of gallons of oil in one of the most important bodies of fresh water, we should BE better. If people want to believe in American Exceptionalism, hold Americans, specifically American corporations to higher standards.
It's a slow process, but it happens. However, I would argue that the most stable advancements are those that are technologically enabled, not politically. If the efficiency of solar panels far outstrips natural gas, it's tough to find investment for fracking. Political change is often an adjustment made to keep up with reality. IMO much of our exceptionalism stems from material, not moral, advantage.If people want to believe in American Exceptionalism, hold Americans, specifically American corporations to higher standards.
Don't underestimate the capacity of people to be complete dopes, especially in large groups. I suggest reading some social and I/O psychology.
An entire biology degree, including being about to finish an invertebrate paleontology class, has taught me that the Earth will inevitably survive us too. Plenty of species won't, of course, which is the problem.
As Robert Anton Wilson said, "Horror is the natural reaction to the last 5,000 years of history." I think this reaction is partially unavoidable, because the world really is fucked up. To understand it fully is to realize how unjust and nonsensical it really is. But for me, I try to stay optimistic by focusing on larger trends, like automation and ephemeralization, open source projects, life extension, increased educational opportunity, free information available through online courses, etc. The world is messed up but I think we are getting closer to destabilizing the ingrained power structures. The next 100 years are going to be a very wild ride but I think everything will turn out ok. You can't stop the process now, information will continue to increase and spread, it will be increasingly difficult to censor and prevent communication, and individuals will be able to greatly magnify their efforts with technology.
What has gotten my goat the most, as my life has progressed, was realizing just how ignorant a massive portion of the world is, for whatever reasons under their control or not and how much suffering ignorance causes. Surely, for example, you've realized by now that the various conflicts going on in super-poor parts of the world are mostly carried out by people who are very much characterized by things that go along with poverty, like being ill, uneducated, steeped in superstition of various sorts, unhappy, and surrounded by tons of crime. People still kill other people for... 'witchcraft'. As a result I've kind of stopped being terribly humanitarian.I think this reaction is partially unavoidable, because the world really is fucked up. To understand it fully is to realize how unjust and nonsensical it really is.
I quit the regular news a year or two ago. Why the hell would I start my day with tragedies and hyped stories? I'm glad I found De Correspondent, a Dutch high-quality online journalism platform that aims to be devoid of all that I despise about modern news. The stuff that's really important news I'll hear about through people talking about it.Rob wrote a manifesto, in which he promised that ‘De Correspondent will publish fresh stories on a daily basis, but it aims to uncover, explain and highlight deep-lying structures and long-term developments that powerfully shape our world, rather than reporting on the latest hype, scare, or breaking news story.’
It's Dutch only, so far they've only translated one article which was posted here a while ago.
This is a wonderful article, thank you for posting it. I envy your access to such a wonderful news source. Perhaps Le Monde Diplomatique might be a source for English speakers. It has similarly thoughtful analysis.
I understand your issue here is the environment, but the main issue your title brings up is very interesting! I see things on FB for example about the UK banning books being sent to prisoners. The post is followed by pages condemning the UK, the decision, blah blah blah blah... Do I jump in and post what a shame that prisoners cannot read classics etc.? No, I wonder what is the reasoning behind the decision? And then I look. And I read that prisoners have access to a library. That prisoners can buy whatever books they want. And that part of the decision is the process of a reward system in the prison, and part of the decision is that it takes resources to check packages sent to prisoners, and it's easy to send drugs or weapons inside of books. It seems very reasonable. And then following the news article explaining the decision, the comment section here is again filled with rants from people that must not have even read the article! In this age it is so easy to find the right information to inform yourself before forming an opinion. And people don't do it. People don't want to take the time to understand an issue before commenting on it. Drives me crazy too. What can be done? More critical reasoning in schools, perhaps?
By the same token though, I think a lot of times the official story does not represent the entire picture. I think about people like Joe Arpaio, the sheriff in Arizona who's had prisoners go on hunger strikes. If you read the news it's because he started serving vegetarian meals. But if you watch videos where they interview the prisoners and tour the facility, you see that it's because the food looks like vomit and is purposely designed to be as unpleasant as possible while saving money. It's not unreasonable to get worked up and ask questions about cruel and unusual punishment when there are legitimate stories of prisoners shoes melting because they are being housed is 145°F conditions. I think that's the most frustrating thing about the amount of information available today. It's very difficult to sift through it when there's so much spin and so few responsible news agencies that try to represent the issue factually. When you get to larger issues like Ukraine and the protests around the world, it becomes practically impossible for the average person to understand the motivations and all the different elements. I'm reminded of the protests in Venezuela where most major news outlets were simply saying "the protests turned violent" without trying to address why they turned violent, and who was perpetrating the violence. Couple that with the Venezuelan government actively suppressing reporters and disabling communication and the picture becomes very difficult to understand at a distance.
It's not always (ever, really) so cut and dry, though. Down to the way the information is received from the journalist. What are they trying to say? Why did they use these words? Especially, it seems, lately that we've gotten so much better at speaking and thinking in political /legal mindsets. Everything is a bloody press release because it's the most efficient way to pretend that multiple people share a common, concise message. It's easy for us to digest. And feel like we can make a rational decision based on the information perceived by our brain. But these are just words. And truly every event will be interpreted differently by each and every person, day to day, week to week and so on. How can I trust my own eyes, let alone yours?
I find it very hard to be overwhelmed with hate/anger by things that are not happening directly to me, to be honest. As much as global warming is bad, Africa is a hellhole, and I find that 75% of all people I meet end up infuriating me in one way or another (it's gotten better, I hang out in a nice echo chamber-type crowd), I have things that I have got to do. Nah. Distancing is a reasonable coping mechanism in this situation. You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Put on your own oxygen mask first. Because you feel powerless to do anything else? What, can you not do charitable work or something?I know to live as a human is to suffer, and that it is my attachment that causes the pain, but detaching from the world around me and not caring that any of this is going on seems elitist, short minded, and cruel.
My heart breaks, and it breaks because I love, and deeply. What do I do? When I've meditated on these things I end up at suicide or full open revolution.
Maybe this is just because on the relative scale of My Heart Is Black, Cold, And Made Of Stone to My Heart Is So Squishy-Soft And Bleeding It Needs An Ambulance, I'm a little closer to the former extreme, but... Two non-profits, seeing-eye-dog puppies, trying to get a job in research? If I did that I'd feel strung out and overinvolved (out of all these kinds of things, I am only involved with the last one, and that's because it's my chosen path in life). And you've mentioned in the "Do you want to learn" thread that you're seeing a therapist. You need some emotional armor and maybe a stronger sense of self-preservation.
Is there any way to know of the injustice around oneself and not be spurred to action? Be elitist, be short-minded, be cruel; On the other hand, suicide or full open revolution are both suitable for subverting the power structure, although staying informed requires being alive.
I sometimes confine myself to science and technology news sites, where there's always news of progress. Keep in mind (as I'm sure you know already) that most news outlets pander to our fascination with disaster and suffering. Other than that, to address your question... no. Understanding reality is inherently depressing, and not many people are looking to get into the business. Don't get me wrong, there enough moments when I feel like it's all worth it, and that's enough to keep me trying. Disclaimer: I do not yet fully understand reality.
Keep Love in your heart and hope the humans who want to live with the planet, not just on it, survive.