Does anyone out there see ANY light at the end of the tunnel?

Well one things for sure, it didn't get any rosier on ATS while you were taking a break!

reply to post by racegunz


No it sure didn't. It didn't appear to get any rosier anywhere else either though.

reply to post by Karlhungis


Agreed but if you'd like i will share some good stuff with you, My kids are still healthy, my job in the auto industry is cut back, but not gone, and the managers are doing their best to keep the rest of the employees working albeit with reduced hours, my wife is working, my pellet stove is saving me alot of money this year, I think things look so bad only because we've had it so good for a long time. It looks like the global warming thing isn't turning out as expected, that's good right? it looks like Bush is really going to leave office, that's good. I hope. The fema coffins are still empty, as far as i know. Okay so you have to dig for the good but you have to mine for gold too, hang in there!

Bush is just about out of office which is a good thing. This place is full of people forcasting doom and gloom. The trick is to remind yourself it's probably someone who was already proven wrong on previous predictions and they might even be here with a new name. Free your mind and your donkey will follow.

Originally posted by Karlhungis
Is there anyone on here that is looking forward with a sense of hope? I would prefer if this hope had some sort of evidence to back it up.

Karlhungis, when I found this it did give me hope. I know it's probably bad form to reference your own threads but please, please read the thread and flag it. The flags will get it up in the listings on the board and more people will read it and have this information. It has given me hope and may give others hope as well.

National We The People Congress to be held in Philadelphia, PA in February, 2009

Yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's a TRAIN headed our way!!!
So, get out of the way!
Unfortunately, what may or may not come our way, with the increasingly bad news economically, politically, and globally, is mostly out of our control. I ALMOST checked out of ATS permanently myself. My NEW attitude is: Hope for the best, expect the worst. I have some relief by acquiring a supply of food, protection for my family, enough supplies to at least give us time to think and plan should worse come to worser. I've seen first hand the ME ME ME attitude right here on ATS, especially disheartening from Americans that seemingly want to blame everything else for the current trouble, when WE as a nation are all fully responsible for its troubles today... IF you want to call yourself an American, you have to take the good with the bad. I see the "abandon ship" mentality ALREADY from many; these people plan to leave you and I to sink with the ship, and to leave the blame for all of it on everyone else. It's this attitude that troubles me almost as much as the greed and corruption that seemingly started the ball rolling. If we all allow ourselves to degrade into a "Every man for himself" posture, then divided we are, and we shall fall.
I consider myself fortunate; at least I am aware of how precariously close to edge of the cliff we all are right now. So many people don't really know what is going to hit them, and that element of shock is going to paralyze many. That places those in the know with the unique ability to be helpful to someone else, and the very act of doing so will save your sanity and restore hope. The country can not survive a depression, collapse, attack, huge disaster, with the mentality that is rampant among us now. In California, we are nearly bankrupt. On another thread here on ATS about the California conflict, I saw how we have Americans that are poised like witch hunters to burn at the stake those they think are to blame. Given chaos, a breakdown in the system, some may take to the street to eliminate what they think is the problem, illegal aliens. It's almost funny, but what it is-IS SAD. Then there are those "AMERICANS" on that thread that are almost gloating that Californians are getting what they deserve if the system fails here and chaos reigns. The mentality sickened me to the point that I can no longer be a person that adds to the negativity already consuming so many of us.
You can relieve your depression by preparing yourself. We humans are resilient. We can survive in horrendous circumstances. I find relief in the thought that maybe, it will all collapse and that it may not be the worst thing. It is a FAILED SYSTEM, I think we are seeing that now. Something has to change, for we can not continue this way, can we??? So, revel in the idea that if there is a God, we will have to let the structure fall, so another may be built that can be better. And yes, there is a price to be paid, be ready to pay it in full. Face the difficulty with the attitude that if it all fails, it is not an end, but a new beginning. Is it going to suck...yes it will. But man, I'm glad to be here, and I'm ready to face whatever comes our way, and starting today, I'm am doing my best to add something positive, something hopeful, not something bleak and depressing. Even if it the MOST horrendous were to happen, I've just decided to shed a light for any HUMAN BEING caught in the dark. That, I believe, may be the the only thing saving me from the darkness of depression...

Karl:

Like yourself, I took a break from ATS too, but not much has changed as you've stated. I think the depressing attitude is just a small indicator of the hard times many people here are now facing.

My outlook on the future is rather bleak, and I've made preps. Something occurred last night that made me realize just how flawed even the best made plans are. I won't into it here, but it opened my eyes as to how desperate people can really get. I hate to think how people will act when times really get bad..

[edit on 20-1-2009 by LLoyd45]

A near term solution or remedy is some time away...
at least as the historical record shows, a 'awakening' or change
in the social paradigm shoud take place around 2030-2050


i use the inspiratation conjured up in my thinking cauldron from the
Essay i read today, 21 Jan '09, "Foundations of Crisis", thru CaseyResearch LLC
seen @ www.321gold.com


Event cycles:

Protestant Reformation 1530-40's ~~(nostradamus 1550's)~~
Puritan 'Awakening' 1630-40's
Pietist "Awakening" 1740-50's
Utopian Awakening 1830-40's
hippy/sexual revolution 1960-70's ~~delayed from series of wars~~
~100 year Paradigm 2030-2040's? ~~prediction only~~


[Maya calendar awakening? ~2012-2020?] Nope, this hopeful ascension
of humanity, does not fit with the previous 100 year cycles which has been
predictible for the last 500 years.
for the next21 years, humanity is going to languish in frugality and thrift,
as we generally tear away from trying to live like millionaires....

'bling' will be seen as both uncool and all that gold, diamonds, etc, attract the unsavory types who will hurt/main/kill to get that bling from the one who wears it. ... the times get harder





[edit on 20-1-2009 by St Udio]

Karl, my friend, I hope you don't take this reply as a form of prostyletizing, because that is not my intent.

The light I see at the end of this tunnel is the light from Jesus Christ. That's about the only light I can see, but it is really the only light I need. So much of what's going on I'd love to point to and reference Biblical prophecy of the end of days with, but I generally refrain from doing so because "no man knoweth the hour of His return."

Aside from that, my personal light is my family... my wife and my two little children. My son is now ramping up his vocabulary, using new words every day (he's 2 & 1/2). Last night I was feeling pretty morose about things when he suddenly pointed to a nature show on TV and loudly said "Chipmunk, daddy! It's a chipmunk!" Then when the scene changed to somebody in their garden he said "Aw, chipmunk gone." I realize it may not seem like anything all that important or special, but it marked the first time he'd ever said 'chipmunk' and the innocence and pure childhood joy he had when he saw it, combined with his totally honest disappointment in seeing them change to a different scene brought such a magical and 'clean' feeling into my heart and soul. I don't think I worried a bit about anything for the rest of the night after that.

That is a double edged sword, too. If I allowed myself to dwell on what kind of world is going to greet those two little children in 10 or 20 years, I'd probably go insane with rage. But I see them now and I see my hopes and my dreams entwined into their little lives and I can find peace.

(FYI, my favorite song: 'Dreamer' by Ozzy Osbourne. It doesn't fit my life, because I'm very much a realist, but where my kids are concerned, the song really does apply to me.)

reply to post by burdman30ott6


Well I don't know about karl but you made me a believer. in our off spring! I'm rooting for them

reply to post by burdman30ott6



Thanks man.

That is a double edged sword, too. If I allowed myself to dwell on what kind of world is going to greet those two little children in 10 or 20 years, I'd probably go insane with rage

I find myself teetering on the edge on that one. I LOVE my kid (and will love my next one who will be here in 3 weeks) and I have a very hard time not bubbling over with rage at the world that I brought them into. I feel terrible guilt at forcing this upon them. I also hope to hell that I can raise them well enough so that they can actually make the world a better place.

I wish I shared your faith in Christianity. I am envious of those who have it. I am too much of a skeptic right now to trust organized religion. It is something I need to work on.

Thanks again to all who have replied.

Try not to get overwhelmed by the pure insanity og unfairness in this world. Remember that no man can change everyhting. But every man can change something.

Babysteps is better than no steps at all. There were many, many babysteps between blacks not being allowed to eat in white people's restaurant, and an afro american now being the president of USA.




[edit on 21-1-2009 by sebarud]

reply to post by Karlhungis

Me see light!
Theeeere, theeeeeere!!! ------------------>

Yes I do see a light, but.......
I think its a TRAIN.....RUN forest run
3rd line

Karl,


Let me just say I can relate to what you are going through. Trust me when I say that I have been and still now find myself at the same crossroads, wondering what will be.

You know what I tell myself?


The weight of the world does not rest on my shoulders. I am not responsible for creating this mess and therefore I do not accept responsibility for it.

Some things are bigger than one man, and in the greater scheme of things I believe that whoever or whatever created this reality is greater and wiser than I can understand or appreciate....and will likely not give me more to handle than I am capable of taking on.

At the end of the day we are all nothing but ants floating on a leaf in the center of an infinite ocean of time and space...and nowhere near as important as we all like to believe

Sad to say just a tunnel at the end of the light.

Do your best to enjoy the ride.
It's a challenge - a journey.
There is light IN the tunnel.
SO look around and embrace the changes.
There will never be another tunnel like this one.

Boy, lots of doom and gloom scenarios here. And I thought I was a pessimist.

It looks like we're talking America here, but I'll extend this to those living in advanced Western countries such as in Europe and elsewhere.


We shouldn't use our current mode of living as any kind of ideal template that we should regret losing. More wrong with it than right.

The period of excess is over. Insane amounts of money and resources were wasted, with really little to show for it. A lot of people got to drink expensive booze, buy lots of over-priced junk and clothing, were able to accelerate their cars from 0 to 60 in 7 seconds, and on and on.

The tremendous down-sizing that's coming may be the best thing that has happened in a long long time.

The important things in life might come back into focus - family, relationships, community, education, health, philosophy, and so forth. Less obscene waste and less narcissism may be the results. An increased intolerance for greed and abuse too, hopefully.

Lost values like honesty and sincerity might become cherished quantities again. The last few decades may just be remembered as a bad trip we all shared.

If the GDP of the US were cut in half, and the money was dispersed more equitably, which may be possible, 90% of the people would see no significant diminishment in their material quality of life. Maybe more beer than single malt scotch, more camping trips and less Las Vegas.

We might all become a bit more human in the process.


Mike F

It's nice to know I'm not alone, and I've gone through the depressing realization of existence a bunch of times.

One time I woke up, and I was at some sort of peaceful equilibrium with existence, understanding everything without thinking about anything. I was sent an Alan Watts video by a friend who had been in that state before, and after watching it, everything made even more sense. He said "You make things complicated when you think about them". Quantifying things and finding meaning to things with the scientific mind just makes things complicated.

I wish I could disconnect from society and not play this game any more. But alas, I was born unto this world, life would be way better if I wasn't interested in technology, living as a monk from birth would be much more satisfying than the empty diluted meaninglessness reality that we are currently residing.

The people controlling the world currently, were just people who realized the meaninglessness of everything, so they decided that their judgment was better than the ignorant peasants, and figured that if everyone lives under their ideas, life will be better. If you could control people and keep them happy, wouldn't you?

After living in this world I would not, but if I didn't know what it was like, I'd probably think that people needed to be told what to do to avoid chaos, keep them happy, because come on, I trust my judgment over most peoples and if you're in a position to make things better in the world, why not. Then of course it was all hijacked and became the world we now see. They just realized things first.

If you let sheep roam free they may end up alone, hurt, scared, dead, anything. But if you herd the sheep together and put Gossip Girl on television, the sheep are entertained. From a certain point of view it's logical, thinking for the people that cannot think for themselves, but they made the mistake of trying to think for EVERYONE, and now its biting them in the ass.

Ignorance is bliss. I do not wish this knowledge upon anyone, but if anyone has to bear the burden, I'd rather it be me.............and the other crapload of people who are like me.

Oh also, don't worry, the depression goes away, you end up going back to diluting your mind with entertaining television, the internet and emotions like love that you'll share with people.

Music also helps get my mind completely off of the depressing reality of everything. I try to live the lie a lot of the time just to be free of depressing thoughts and realizations. And yet I still think about it a lot.