I think a large portion of depressed ppl are depressed bc we spend all our childhoods in school, till 18 or 22 for most ppl, then we work a dull job for shit pay for ~45 years, then “retire,” only to have nothing to show but poor health and little money. Sure that’s not everyone, but that’s a large, significant portion of the population here in America.
Are there opportunities? Sure, for a few. For the middle class and rich. But being born poor or to poor parents, what are your options? Meritocracy is like a leprechaun at this point. Does it exist? Maybe but not really.
Even if you have a “middle” class life, what do you really have? You can’t quit your job or you’ll lose your health insurance. (yeah, good ol’ ‘merica). You’re tied down to a mortgage (if you’re “lucky” enough to have a house). If you have a spouse and kids, do you really have time to spend with your spouse/kids? Ppl don’t even have time to relax and do enjoyable activities. Come home from work and you literally have a few hours a night but that includes cooking/cleaning/shower/etc.
WHY do ppl even have kids? If both you and your spouse work FT, you literally have about ~3-5 waking hours after work to do chores let alone to take care of a baby. Most of the baby’s life is in a daycare/school/babysitter, etc so like really, does it make sense to have a kid that you literally only see ~3 hrs a day? And if you prefer it that way, then WHY even have kids?
Like, I don’t get why some ppl are even “happy”. Happy over what? WTF do most ppl even accomplish to feel “happy” or “satisfied”? Or am I the only crazy one to think we ought to “accomplish” something? No I don’t mean like work a prestigious job or win awards or anything, but like something of “meaning”- whatever it is.
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well, but then there’s me over here fascinated by the people who make a run for the fence, or whatever metaphorical equivelent you want to make for trying to escape wage slavery. People do try to get out.
I don’t know that I’ve ever admitted this, but I’ve spent a lot of my life studying poverty because people in poverty have been failed by capitalism, they want out, they’re doing EVERYTHING they can to avoid being in it most of the time. As in, yes, I do have a kind heart and I like helping people, there’s a fair bit of that. But I admire the poor, the multi generational poor are much MUCH smarter than those in multi generational wealth.
Am I crazy here? I’m not talking about people who make a living out of scamming the system, those tend to be short runs. To actually milk the system without being a victim of it is an art, all the better if you can avoid contact with the system whenever you can.
so that’s why I’m relatively happy sometimes. I think I can manage that someday, be one of the lucky few that get out. Then I plan to start teaching others to get out. That’s the only way there can ever be reform, if there’s a viable alternative.
that and my work is a doddle. It’s almost the exact same amount of work as doing nothing. Less sometimes. Left alone I have to hunt down my own problems, but now I get to be a lazy hunter, people bring me problems. Often times they don’t even know it, it’s just in a sideways sort of way. But I like to tinker.
the expectations are so very very low…. I can’t help but enjoy surprising people.
“People do try to get out.”
>Oh yes, people do *try.* But how many actually break out into freedom? Not many…
depends on how you define freedom. I’m not saying we’re anywhere near abolishing this type of slavery, but we’ve definitely got a solid resistance going. I mean, death is a form of freedom isn’t it? The victims of chattel slavery thought so. Also, if you render your kids useless to the system, I think that’s a victory too, and plenty do that.
we’re all little pygmy tribesmen shooting little darts trying to take down a mighty elephant that is capitalism. when the elephant roars in pain I call that progress.
Concurred….life is really just for the rich or upper middle class who’ve made enough money they have tons of leisure time or they do a bit or work for a big reward…say a real estate agent who sells a few houses in a year, then chills on some desert island the rest of the time.
For those of us unfortunate to be born in poverty to lower-middle class, where your needs are met but you don’t have enough to travel and truly enjoy life, we’re just watching from the sidelines.
That’s no life at all and as Eternal says, then you get old, have health issues, are poor and eventually kick the bucket.
I heard recently in Canada about how some elderly pensioners are trying to survive on measly handouts from the gov’ts….and it’s been a long time where I’ve been on a tight budget and I felt so sorry for these people.
I was there too (with my mom) for over a year when I didn’t have a job and was searching…since then we were ‘comfortable’…say lower-middle class and hadn’t had to think much about money.
What’s even more disgusting is the skyrocketing inflation and rents…I don’t know how people could live on a single income now, if at all.
Basics in life should never go up and down with the economy…it’d make sense for the gov’t to regulate not just food prices but also rent and I might even stretch that to gas prices and some people are sensitive on commuting.
But ya, maybe it’s affecting a lot of us, but I feel I’ve had a wasted life, just trying to get somewhere. Kids are out of the question in such a situation.
For myself I see clear ways out of my situation, but it’s like I’m in a crowd that’s moving in one direction, dragging me along while I’m trying to go the opposite direction.
It’s been that way for me for a long time…that “crowd” really is my job, where I live and other issues in my life holding me back from breaking through and reaching that next level I always wanted to get to and knew I would be at some point.
depressing, ain’t it?
Yup, the worst part is doing all you can to get ahead and not moving an inch, relatively speaking.
Then you see others living the life you hoped to have for yourself…happy, trouble-free, successful, banging 50 part tners, partying, traveling…making money hand over fist.
Ofc it looks like everyone but you…in reality it’s a minority of people who live the high life while most of us are scraping by, trying to get there….life passes us by in the meantime…our beauty, youth, strength all goes to waste.
Is it any wonder so many people are suici.dal?
(my post went into moderation…forgot about the trigger words…so fixed and posting here….feel free to remove duplicate post when it appears).
“I feel I’ve had a wasted life, just trying to get somewhere.”
>Exactly. It’s not only tiring, it’s downright depressing.
It’s pretty ridiculous to have to be at a point where you must work 2 jobs minimum or have some kind of side thing to make money on the side to really get anywhere if you aren’t already well off. It’s infuriating.
I’ve known for a long long time that I’ll never be uber wealthy. I’m not even sure I’ll ever be able to buy a home or even retire as it stands right now. I sure as hell won’t be having any kids, may not even bother getting married either or having a girlfriend.
It’s hard to not feel jaded after seeing all of the insane crap that’s happened to get us to this point. Where some people are able to cheat the system and loophole their way into lots of money, or have to do life threatening or illegal shit to make enough to live comfortably.
Not everyone can start a business, because where would you find people to work for said business?
There’s just a lot that keeps people down, and it’s sickening honestly.
right? and we’re supposed to be “happy” with this kind of shit life?