Depression: Why most people deny the truth

Let's face it, as much as it frustrates most, if not all of us on these boards, that the majority of the world's population does nothing to fight everything that is wrong, it is probably because they know that even a small taste of reality translates to debilitating depression.

I'm not a pshychologist, or an M.D. but if we look at how even a small portion of the population reacts to bad news, it's very easy to see why people as a whole simply do not have the strength to face reality. I'm sure all of you here know at least one or two people that get easily frustrated with news they see on yahoo.com or see on the 11 o'clock local news. I personally have (and have always had) to work and live with people like that.

When people are made to believe that if you dont have a nice house that you remodel on a continuous basis, a new car every two years, a fishing boat of some type, etc. You're just not a very good person, and so people keep working their fingers to the bone to achieve all this, and when they don't achieve this, they think to themselves "What is wrong with me?"

That alone is a heavy burden for ANYONE to carry. Imagine then, for someone like this, to have to start worrying about the fact that their whole life is based on a lie, and that the system they are bound by does not have their best interest in mind? What's easier, to face this ugly truth, or to continue on a self-formed DELUSION that everything will be ok?

Does that excuse the fact that we all should fight for what we believe? of course not. Does it explain the fact that no one of the many agencies in charge of the population's mental and physical health have been, and are derelict in their duties, Very much so. I think the only thing that is clear is that we live in a society that lives in a state of low mental health, and no one is willing to accept this fact. Whether the powers that be know about this, or if they were the ones that knowingly created this condition themselves, is, and sadly, always will be, a mistery.

Hey dude, just wanna let you know my life plans. Here we go, this is a preliminary outline of what I plan to do.

Go to school.............[done]
Go to college...............[in-process]
Graduate........................[pending]
Get a pro-job......................[pending]
Buy a new car.........................[pending]
Buy house/apartment...................[pending]
Get a wife........................................[pending]
Have a kid............................................[pending]
Die...........................................................[in-process]

All this is a lie? Why?



[edit on 26-4-2008 by Pagani]

Pagani, I liked your life plans, here is an update on my life plans. I'm 55. I used your life outline, almost in the same order.

Go to school [done] I did, 12 grades
Go to college [in-process] I did, 2 years
Graduate [pending] yes
Get a pro-job [pending] I did, several times
Buy a new car. [pending] 5 times
Buy house [pending] once
Get a wife [pending] twice, and that's enough for me.
Have a kid [pending] two times
Die [in-process] not yet


I was thinking that if I got these things I would live happily forever... So the story goes. But some how I missed out... on that pot of gold...

Anyway Pagani, I wish only the best for you.

To, PX Iceman... I am living proof of what your post says. A star for you!

[edit on 26-4-2008 by aerialview]

Great post. Here's my take.

The desire to pursue our dreams is part of the human condition. The reality is that everyone has a different dream. But if everyone pursued their true dream, people wouldn't work and society would collapse.

So 'they' create a suitable dream for us. One that has us getting an education so that we can work a job and become a productive part of society, then buy a house and get a mortgage and have a chance to put back even more into the system.

Is it any wonder that people who achieve all of this still feel unsatisfied? It was never our dream all along. It was 'their' dream for us.

Originally posted by TheStev
Is it any wonder that people who achieve all of this still feel unsatisfied? It was never our dream all along. It was 'their' dream for us.

we are taught all our lives to never be satisfied...with pretty much everything. shoot, it starts as a kid with thousands of toy options and with commercials telling you that you need more and more. a natural transition later, consumerism takes hold and makes you believe you need these things, a variety even, to smile the day away.

it'd be ignorant to think that this only applies to material possessions. indoctrination into a religion via means of peer-pressure, fear, or the promise of eternal life can easily fall into the category of "their dreams" for you. does religion satisfy people? it can, and it can't. but if it doesn't satisfy, there is definite pressure from people 'concerned' about your infinite soul.

you know it's a "their dream, not your dream" scenario when any other option [in this case, any other religion] does not exist, trapping one to be all in or all out.

when all is said and done, how does one really know what they want for themselves truly? do i really need a new laptop? do i even need more books? even if i think i need something, really think i need something...do i really? was that my thought or "their" thought? can i ever know for sure?

is art [in all its forms] the ultimate example of human gluttony, derived not of necessity but out of unfulfilled personal desires?