I am not saying this is untrue, rather improbable. I believe we are products of our environment with some (small) freedom to behave differently -- most people born in disfunctional environment would not achieve their full potential and exceptions are just a small fraction.

Let me add, what might be useful for you, that I think that in dealing with depressive thought the physical health or conditions are very important. While exercising did very little help to me, when the spring came and the short, cold winter days ended I stopped to have suicidal thoughts and most my days are relatively positive. Maybe my 'optimistic self deception' programme is successful because of that? Or the succes might be a purely psychological cause as well, I don't know. I even thought that my good mood is unreasonable, given all the evil in the world. But I told myself to not look for reasons to not embrace these moment of joy, I just fucking need them (even if that would be dishonest to the more objective reality).

In summary, the only attitude which seems both honest but not totally depressing to me is acknowledge all the cruelty of the world, but at the same moment to keep a set of positive thoughts to the degree of self deception (e.g. that we have a bright future). These two seems contradictory, but in a dialectic or for Hegel it is common and still produces a sensible output. For some people it might help to share their thoughts or do some actions like supporting UNICEF, volunteer, or having YT channel enhancing class consciousness or highlighting injustice (this not work very much for me and people who do it frequently have doubts, but the more I respect their work).

4w ago

Adam Curtis on Real Change

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33550336 @lemmy.world 4w ago

I think the historical record demonstrates that broad sociocultural change primarily happens after some great destructive crisis (war, famine, plague, etc)

It is hard to not agree that the real change usually came out of unpredictable (and painful) chaos, but does it mean that always has to be like this? As Slavoj Zizek said, Soviet Union, Cuba, etc. failed since they changed only the social conditions, but they failed to change people's dreams. I admit that nowadays people frequently have ugly, consumerists, selfish dreams but what if this could be changed by some attractive, progressive vision? If not now, maybe in 50 or 100 years (assuming humanity would survive the climate collapse)?

4w ago

Rule

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33550336 @lemmy.world 4w ago

Or else you can resign yourself to a depressing existence with the only thing you ever look forward to is the end of it.

This summarizes my mood in the recent years pretty well.

I still believe that -- in the objective sense -- we have very limited control and leverages in our life compared to the rich elites and as individuals we have negligible power to counter the horrors as genocides, climate collapse or lunatics like Trump or other neoliberals. However, subjectively, I am trying to think more optimistically, along the arguments you wrote, but nevertheless I still have noted in the back of my mind that this might be just useful, pragmatic self deception calculated to make the life more pleasant.

4w ago

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33550336 @lemmy.world 4w ago

I actually like the gambling metaphor. Your opponents (billionaires, corporations, renters, etc.) have a strong hand and after check they will always win. I admit that we have some freedom to operate with our cards, but in practice it is often just enough to survive and have just as much resources as to be useful to the company you work in.

4w ago

Rule

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33550336 @lemmy.world 4w ago

This is my hypothetical wish for the sake of argument -- an example of a common dream which is plainly unrealistic. Personally I do not have such consumerist whims.

1mo ago

Rule

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33550336 @lemmy.world 1mo ago

Wish that be true. For some people this might be more true, but for less fortunate certainty it isn't.

1mo ago

Rule

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33550336 @lemmy.world 1mo ago

To achieve nothing or a shadow of a substitute of the goal? I wish a house with a swimming pool, and I come from a lower class, do you really think it is achievable for someone earning lower than mediocre salary?