RainyAfternoon
Member
- Mar 2, 2025
- 15
Most of us are well aware of the many problems our world has. Some are common knowledge, such as pollution, ecological destruction, and poverty.
Others are often swept under the rug, such as human trafficking and the inhumane conditions that support many industries.
My questions for you are:
What issues are most important to you?
Do you think it's possible to fix them?
How do you process the reality of it all? Do you push it out of mind, or do you try to live in a way that mitigates the problem?
Do you think it's worth ruminating over these things, or is it a waste of time? How does it affect your mental health?
For myself:
The issues most important to me are related to unsustainable use of resources and the destructive relationship humans have with the natural world.
In particular, the reliance we have on plastics which are contaminating pretty much everything. I worked in the plastics industry at one point and experienced firsthand the insane amount of lobbying, propaganda, and misinformation these companies spread to make people support the use of plastic in many products.
Our attitude of consumerism and materialism makes me very uncomfortable because I think about how much waste is generated for each unnecessary thing we buy.
I also cannot stand the inhumane way humans treat animals in our food industry. We are no longer at a point of being "symbiotic with nature". We're now exploiting it and destroying it in the process.
I believe these issues are possible to fix. I hear many people say things like "it's the corporations that need to change" and "why should I stop using plastic straws when some celebrities are flying their private jet thousands of miles per day". I disagree with this sentiment because I believe every small effort helps. Consumers have the power to choose what we buy, and grassroots movements can eventually shift economies when enough people make positive choices.
However, from what I've seen the activism and change for these issues always seems to be too little too late.
Fundamentally, I think too many people just don't care.
I have a hard time processing the reality of these issues. I feel a lot of overwhelming guilt and responsibility for participating in the systems that are against my values. It confuses me why other people don't seem to feel the same, and I wonder if maybe my brain is just wired a bit differently.
To me, the only way to live with any peace of mind is to strive for a zero-waste vegan lifestyle (which, admittedly, I know is virtually impossible).
I asked these questions in this post because I see so many people going about their daily lives seemingly unbothered by these issues (or at least not making lifestyle changes if they are).
As an example, I rarely see anyone bring reusable bags to my local grocery store. It's such an easy thing to do. It's a net positive for everyone because you have more durable bags and less trash. So why does no one do it? It baffles me.
I know that thinking about these issues has certainly made me feel more depressed and helpless. I would be a lot happier if I just ignored the issues and lived like everyone else. But I feel that I would lose my purpose in life if I did that.
Many religions are based on the idea that the world is broken, and I suspect many people rely on this as a comforting cop-out to avoid responsibility. For non-religious people, I suppose nihilism is another way to come to terms with it all.
I'd like to read some responses so I can better understand how everyone else thinks about these things.
Others are often swept under the rug, such as human trafficking and the inhumane conditions that support many industries.
My questions for you are:
What issues are most important to you?
Do you think it's possible to fix them?
How do you process the reality of it all? Do you push it out of mind, or do you try to live in a way that mitigates the problem?
Do you think it's worth ruminating over these things, or is it a waste of time? How does it affect your mental health?
For myself:
The issues most important to me are related to unsustainable use of resources and the destructive relationship humans have with the natural world.
In particular, the reliance we have on plastics which are contaminating pretty much everything. I worked in the plastics industry at one point and experienced firsthand the insane amount of lobbying, propaganda, and misinformation these companies spread to make people support the use of plastic in many products.
Our attitude of consumerism and materialism makes me very uncomfortable because I think about how much waste is generated for each unnecessary thing we buy.
I also cannot stand the inhumane way humans treat animals in our food industry. We are no longer at a point of being "symbiotic with nature". We're now exploiting it and destroying it in the process.
I believe these issues are possible to fix. I hear many people say things like "it's the corporations that need to change" and "why should I stop using plastic straws when some celebrities are flying their private jet thousands of miles per day". I disagree with this sentiment because I believe every small effort helps. Consumers have the power to choose what we buy, and grassroots movements can eventually shift economies when enough people make positive choices.
However, from what I've seen the activism and change for these issues always seems to be too little too late.
Fundamentally, I think too many people just don't care.
I have a hard time processing the reality of these issues. I feel a lot of overwhelming guilt and responsibility for participating in the systems that are against my values. It confuses me why other people don't seem to feel the same, and I wonder if maybe my brain is just wired a bit differently.
To me, the only way to live with any peace of mind is to strive for a zero-waste vegan lifestyle (which, admittedly, I know is virtually impossible).
I asked these questions in this post because I see so many people going about their daily lives seemingly unbothered by these issues (or at least not making lifestyle changes if they are).
As an example, I rarely see anyone bring reusable bags to my local grocery store. It's such an easy thing to do. It's a net positive for everyone because you have more durable bags and less trash. So why does no one do it? It baffles me.
I know that thinking about these issues has certainly made me feel more depressed and helpless. I would be a lot happier if I just ignored the issues and lived like everyone else. But I feel that I would lose my purpose in life if I did that.
Many religions are based on the idea that the world is broken, and I suspect many people rely on this as a comforting cop-out to avoid responsibility. For non-religious people, I suppose nihilism is another way to come to terms with it all.
I'd like to read some responses so I can better understand how everyone else thinks about these things.
