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Coming to Grips with Our Society Today?

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posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 09:33 AM
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I'm pretty enraged and saddened at what I'm seeing, even right here in my home state which I have always spoken very highly of. I see so many entitled and rude people (teens, especially people in their 20s, and some in their 30s) who have no qualms about being cruel or instigating problems, talking down to people who they don't even know, and being all around self-righteous - they think they can do no wrong and the world owes them something, and they want to take out their own problems on people who seem 'weaker' or easy targets.

I've seen so many beautiful, selfless, hardworking people get taken advantage of, hurt and trampled over by selfish and violent people, and even immediate family members of mine who have fallen victim to the diseases in our society such as eating disorders, alcoholism and substance abuse, and prescription medicine addictions & overdoses.

Our society is sick, and it does not seem to be getting better (not at all). I know this sounds very cynical and morbid, and there IS good out in the world (often times it can be hard to find), but I'm really struggling with finding acceptance in looking at our society as a whole, and the world I see when I walk out that door in the morning.

I know one thing we can do as individuals is do our best to be kind, smile at people, support and show love for our family, friends, and neighbors.. but at what point will we as a society decide we need to do better? When will people wake up and recognize that their self-interests and superficial addictions are hurting not only the people around them, but themselves as well?

I'm not trying to sound preachy, I'm not trying to sound depressing. But personally, I've just about had it. Where I'm at right now, I don't even want to try to conversate or even interact with strangers.. it's not worth getting hurt or shut down (I'm in a vulnerable place right now because of some family struggles, which certainly doesn't help). I know this feeling should pass as well, but I would love to hear from anyone else who is juggling these thoughts and trying to find the best approach to find resolve in this current state of society.

Thanks for stopping by.. I look forward to seeing some thoughtful comments from the ATS community. Thank you friends.


edit on 5-12-2016 by FamCore because: comma use



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 09:50 AM
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a reply to: FamCore

Hi Famcore, sharing how you feel is good for the soul.

You probably already heard about different stages of the grieving process. I think anger and blame are part of that overall.

Good to hear from you, keep on keeping on.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 10:01 AM
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I have a personal example that might help, I have a bible camp about five minutes from where I live that I volunteer some of my free time cooking for them for special functions......Here come the odd part. I am Pagan, they know this and accept my beliefs, they do nat try to "convert" me, they do not look down on me, they changed some of their paperwork so that I can volunteer there. They've even jokingly introduced me to their major pastoral backers as their "resident Pagan cook".

Acceptance can come from all over, try too look for the good and not focus on the bad.

Peace my friend

Daavin



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 10:03 AM
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a reply to: FamCore

Firstly I wanted to state again how sorry I am for the loss you are suffering and hope you can, someday, find some sense of peace for you and your family.

I have also noticed a sort of blatant disregard and insensitivity to others that seems to permeate an awful lot of folks daily activities. I am sure that I have been guilty as well and if I catch myself, I try to take a deep breath, step back and realize that I can't possibly know what others are going through or what has brought them to this place of disconnect from other humans around them. I try, at that moment, to be more kind and temper my reactions appropriately.

I also remind myself that I am raising two young women and want to be a role model and teach them acceptance, tolerance, patience, kindness, inquisitiveness, integrity and strength and often those are shown/taught by actions more so than just words, IMO.

I am also going through a tough time and although I don't necessarily believe that the holidays making folks feel worse about their suffering (depression etc) can be proven, it certainly can seem as if there is something to that. My tough time is not due to a death and although I am feeling especially fragile, I am trying to counter any negativity with compassion for others around me. I'm hoping it will work. Does that sound selfish? Perhaps.

It can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude, especially if one's work involves being around lots of different people with different attitudes, different ages and life experiences that shape who they are and unfortunately, IMO, the world situation today has left so many feeling hopeless and frustrated and it is often easier to take those feeling out on someone else rather than deal with them internally.

Try not to hide away or become so tarnished, as many folks are, by the world. I realize it can be hard but, I have to believe that I will serve no useful purpose crawling into the bed (where I'd really like to be today) and pulling the covers up. I think we have a lot to give and although it can be difficult to find the strength to give...I have to believe it is worth the struggle in the end.

I just have to.

Good luck to you and I hope brighter days are soon.





edit on 5-12-2016 by TNMockingbird because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 10:50 AM
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a reply to: FamCore

For better or worse people can change.

Most people I feel want the better things in life like we all do but at the same time most of us are caught up in our own little worlds. I'd agree and say it's a disease. But even the most self-centered can be reasoned with given circumstance.

It's most likely down to perception, we can focus on the ills of society and be left with a feeling of despair, individually many have blinders and fail to see how our actions effect others.

If I may?

What I can offer is what has helped me in the past, me I volunteered but the end game was surrounding myself with all walks of life that have went out and asked for help and I helped. Most people are humbled by kindness and generosity. It brought a whole different perspective, one that for me broke down the walls that people build around themselves.

We all can fall on hard times and I honestly feel it's a time old tradition to blame somebody else, the reality is a bitter life isn't a good one. Any ills in our lives cannot be blamed on others, it's down to us to change.

Many don't want to change, many like to just feed off others and provide for one's own self and care less about others.

Personally, I've had to disconnect from people I knew in my life. Sometimes you just have to disconnect from negative people and consider self-preservation.

Let the self-centered people play amongst themselves and live in your own bubble. It might sound silly but at the end of the day it's unnecessary conflict in life, let it be.

Living in a bubble has been good for me, helped me be more compassionate, plus the likelihood of me snapping at undesirables is a lot less because I ain't got as much unnecessary stress.

Best wishes famcore, like all things time allows it to pass.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 11:06 AM
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My generation was promised a lot and nobody ever delivered... When I was a kid they told us we could all save the environment, we could live in Utopia, no such luck. Also there is the chain of screaming, actually just an insane amount of variables when it comes to a person's personality traits.

I'm not sure why these contrasting lines are so blatantly present in animals, they're either nice or not nice.
I see repeating negative personality traits in so many people, different people who share similar blocks.
We share some of these blocks with simpler creatures as well.

I don't understand why humans allow themselves and their society to live in these preconceived boxes.
Always the same cause with the same effect. Hasn't the youth always been angry?

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

But maybe, one day, things will be different.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 11:26 AM
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a reply to: FamCore

I have felt saddened by the world as of late. I am not promoting a particular religion (I don't have one), but I see how empty young people are at their core. Whether it is Christianity, Paganism or just a belief in a God I feel like people are missing something fundamental to the human experience.

That emptiness of nothing eats at the soul and it seems the media and popular culture have left so many empty. It is sad...for goodness sakes believe in something other than humanity as the pinnacle of all. Our empty, plastic society is a poor substitute for God.
edit on 2016/12/5 by Metallicus because: Sp



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 11:57 AM
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a reply to: Metallicus



That emptiness of nothing eats at the soul and it seems the media and popular culture have left so many empty. It is sad...for goodness sakes believe in something other than humanity as the pinnacle of all. Our empty, plastic society is a poor substitute for God.


That's true, although I'd say belief in humanity can be good but bring strife. We never agree how we should be.

Tupac wrote a song called who do you believe in?

It's basically on about the lack of faith, in the lack of faith in something dispair is the obvious alternative.

Faith, whether it's a religious order that keeps us right or faith in a better way. No faith, well it seems in a lack of faith society becomes much nastier.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 01:20 PM
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a reply to: RAY1990

A person that believes in Humanity is bound to be disappointed.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 01:43 PM
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a reply to: FamCore
I know how you feel and please don't think I am making light of the situation but I don't believe any of it is random or by accident.

I think we have all been handed a box of Lego blocks, we have just all just constructed different lives with them.

Here is one Hollywood description and solution to the problem. Like always the cure is often worse than the illness.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 01:50 PM
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a reply to: TNMockingbird


I can't possibly know what others are going through or what has brought them to this place of disconnect from other humans around them. I try, at that moment, to be more kind and temper my reactions appropriately.



Exactly! You never know if someone is going through some major personal issue or a great loss of some kind, if they have depression or anxiety or any number of other reasons why they are the way they are. When I am out and about, I always try to smile or give a kind word like telling someone to have a nice day. There will always be beautiful, good, kind and compassionate folks still around. You can be that one person who makes someone else's just a little easier or brighter.

I guess there will always be those who are beyond our reach, but we can't allow that to bring us down and keep us there. Hold on to those who lift you up and are by your side.


For those facing the storms in life...





posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 01:58 PM
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a reply to: Night Star

You can be that one person who makes someone else's just a little easier or brighter.


You have always been a source of positivity for me.

Thanks for that, my friend.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 02:37 PM
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a reply to: TNMockingbird

And you for me my friend!



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 03:27 PM
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a reply to: Metallicus

I can't disagree with that.

I have to try though, I still often get joy for my hopes in humanity. It outweighs the bad even if their is less of it.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 06:13 PM
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OP, I hear you. But the problem runs deeper than "it used to be better". It DID use to be better, no doubt, because earlier in our culture's history there was still retained some small modicum of humanity-soul.

Sadly, we have emerged into the flowering of a root-ugly culture. The rude people you speak of are a product of our media-values culture, and corporate, financial-elite self-serving cultural management based upon psychopathic principles, not honoring balance, life, beautiful culture, the earth, or our responsibility to maintain the highest form of healthy society for future generations.

There are authentic cultures which are more roted in healthy principles, and where-in people are more joyful and celebrate the more beautiful aspects of humanity elsewhere in the world. Some cultures even honor heart, spirit and our relationship to the earth, while also honoring character and each other. Unfortunately, our corporate greed, military war for oil profits, kim Kardashian-values brainwashed, monied-elite controlled, earth and soul hating culture has flowered as it was farmed.

you have every right to see it and be both disheartened and enraged.

edit on 5-12-2016 by jayfkntee because: (no reason given)

edit on 5-12-2016 by jayfkntee because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 06:24 PM
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a reply to: jayfkntee

There is hope I follow several teachers on the net NONE OF THEM HOWEVER are in the Western world,inroads are being made with perception not DNA being primacy and in other areas such as alternative medicine, text book information is on average 17 years old and the avante guard certainly is not in the Western world.I use these things and they work but they are not worth discussing here in this bastion of establishment thought.



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 06:28 PM
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a reply to: jayfkntee

Sadly, we have emerged into the flowering of a root-ugly culture. The rude people you speak of are a product of our media-values culture, and corporate, financial-elite self-serving cultural management based upon psychopathic principles, not honoring balance, life, beautiful culture, the earth, or our responsibility to maintain the highest form of healthy society for future generations.

I found this interesting. It touches on many of the things you have said, and may help in making sense out of it all.

How Generations Have Changed



posted on Dec, 5 2016 @ 06:29 PM
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DP

I have no idea how or why this happens.

One of those things that makes you go "Hmmm".
edit on 5-12-2016 by NightSkyeB4Dawn because: DP



posted on Dec, 6 2016 @ 05:55 AM
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a reply to: FamCore

FamCore,

I know where you are coming from. Whether its the constant barrage of examples of the negative effects of the throwaway culture we have designed for ourselves, or simply a young person, walking with their shoulders and spitting in the street every ten paces, there are plenty of things to be upset about, when one considers the modern way of living. There seem to be few redeeming features, it carries itself as a cold and unfriendly, desolate landscape within which to try and make a life.

If you work hard, there is no reason to expect that it will be rewarded, if you do everything your parents and teachers advised you to do when you were young, it will not have the results you intend unless you happen to be extremely lucky. For those who are not lucky, for the vast percentage of people in fact, effort put in does NOT equate to benefit you get out. People who are fortunate blame those who are not, for not being a favoured son of the fates, or God, or whatever deity or force people most believe in.

But there again, what examples have we, really, to aspire to in life? Let us ignore faith entirely for a moment, and consider our leaders. We cannot look up to these people. They are at best liars, cheats, scammers and schemers, people whose morality permitted them to make money from the misery of others, to do what had to be done in order to improve a bottom line, a meaningless hoard of finance for themselves. If even those who are placed at the centre of our lives as our leaders cannot be trusted, have no morality worth a damn, have no honour or decency in them when compared with their vast inhumanity, what ought we expect from those who grow up with the idea that those who have the most success do the least to deserve it?

Where are the monied men who have callouses on their hands, to show that a hard working life pays dividends? Are there some out there? Perhaps, but their numbers are dwarfed into insignificance by those who have made success of themselves out of the suffering of the rest, and it is they who occupy the lauded positions in public life. Attending this gala event, that catwalk show, this music award ceremony, living the life, allegedly partaking in the "wholesome" pursuit of success as measured by ones wealth.

Those whose successes are REAL very rarely get the recognition they deserve, their names are not known widely, they are local heroes if they are known at all, their faces are not on the front cover of Time magazine, or even the local paper very often. They quietly get about the business of living hard lives and smiling anyway, providing an example to only those who know them personally, of how a good soul makes their way in the world.

Their successes are not measured in wealth, but in solidarity, the willingness to hold others up when they cannot stand for themselves, the preparedness to share the minimal resources they have with those who have less than even they do, the determination not to see a person suffer when they could help to ease that pain. There are people like that, but their lives are not glamorous, nor rich with excitement, they do not hold the biggest parties, no one makes a space for them to walk in when they visit the big cities. They do not live lives that people aspire to live themselves, just lives that people admire in wonderment.

As people in the Western Developed world, our priorities have been wrong for longer than they have been right.



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