Having an existential crisis

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If you don't want to participate, how and why are you posting on a MMO gaming forum on the internet? Drop all of your capitalism-acquired goods, walk into the yukon, and live on your own. If you don't like society, you have a few options: 1> work to change it to suit your ideals; 2> accept that it is imperfect and make the best of it; 3> leave.
I've already sold most of my things actually. Got rid of the car, the ps3, the tv, etc. I understand that society is imperfect, and I'm attempting to make the best of it currently. I won't deny that technology is cool, and definitely makes some things better. Amazingly enough, I can also reject the social implications of what it means to be "a part of society" while still utilizing the tools made available to me. I'm not talking about wanting to go all crust and become a worthless hobo, but I can certainly spend my time traveling around, seeing the world, meeting people, and accomplishing things. I don't dislike society, I dislike the insane consumerist idealism that is prevalent in our modern society, shit has gotten out of hand. This forum is a method of interacting with people I normally would never have the chance to do.

I won't reject the fact that society exists and technological advances have been made. I would like to see these technological advances actually used for the betterment of all human life, not just that in the Western world. Which is why I have been working to change what little of it I can, to more suit my lifestyle and my ideologies. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of having a life of overprivileged access, while millions more suffer and die.

I'm not just whining, I'm pissed at certain aspects of modern civilization, and I don't really think that it's wrong to want to change it. I think that's how progress is made. Me posting here, airing some complaints that I have I don't think is akin to wasting my life, either. Everything in moderation. I dontate, I volunteer, I try to educate myself first and foremost, and try to share that education with others, to learn even more. Most of the greatest artists of our cultures have died penniless. There isn't anything wrong with not wanting to have so much in your life, that it causes others in the world to starve.

You people are acting like I'm screaming "Anarchy now! Destroy all civilization!" It's a tad ridiculous.



Also, Eomer, the fact that his cancer was caused by the ingestion of water from an incredibly disgusting source his whole life, is where the problem lies. The city he is from has such an insane water problem, that is only getting worse now because of recently discovered oil and natural gas deposits discovered outside of the city recently. Also, any deaths that happen close to home cause you to stop, and reevaluate everything you think or know. Nothing is wrong with questioning yourself and others.
 

Rombo

Lord Nagafen Raider
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Rombo

Lord Nagafen Raider
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Join one of those organism in africa or something and help feed the children. Youll prolly end up scoring a really hot hippie along the way. If you dont mind the hairy arm pits that is.
 

Cad

scientia potentia est
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I've already sold most of my things actually. Got rid of the car, the ps3, the tv, etc. I understand that society is imperfect, and I'm attempting to make the best of it currently. I won't deny that technology is cool, and definitely makes some things better. Amazingly enough, I can also reject the social implications of what it means to be "a part of society" while still utilizing the tools made available to me. I'm not talking about wanting to go all crust and become a worthless hobo, but I can certainly spend my time traveling around, seeing the world, meeting people, and accomplishing things. I don't dislike society, I dislike the insane consumerist idealism that is prevalent in our modern society, shit has gotten out of hand. This forum is a method of interacting with people I normally would never have the chance to do.

I won't reject the fact that society exists and technological advances have been made. I would like to see these technological advances actually used for the betterment of all human life, not just that in the Western world. Which is why I have been working to change what little of it I can, to more suit my lifestyle and my ideologies. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of having a life of overprivileged access, while millions more suffer and die.

I'm not just whining, I'm pissed at certain aspects of modern civilization, and I don't really think that it's wrong to want to change it. I think that's how progress is made. Me posting here, airing some complaints that I have I don't think is akin to wasting my life, either. Everything in moderation. I dontate, I volunteer, I try to educate myself first and foremost, and try to share that education with others, to learn even more. Most of the greatest artists of our cultures have died penniless. There isn't anything wrong with not wanting to have so much in your life, that it causes others in the world to starve.

You people are acting like I'm screaming "Anarchy now! Destroy all civilization!" It's a tad ridiculous.
Life ain't fair dog. Come to grips with reality.
 

Rombo

Lord Nagafen Raider
763
199
Also youll die one day. Make the most of it.
You dont even need to play russian roulette!
 

McCheese

SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk
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I knew a guy who sounds like Vatoreous. I met him overseas and worked with him for about a year. He'd lived in over 20 countries and traveled to more than 60 over the course of about 30 years. He basically carried his entire life in a couple bags and had no real desire for anything beyond what he needed to get by. He had the most rudimentary cell phone I'd ever seen and a handful of clothes. No credit card, no bank account. I think the only documentation showing he even existed was his passport. He used computers and the internet, but only at cafes and other places like that; he didn't own a computer. He was one of the happiest guys I've ever known, despite being kind of stupid and dimwitted.

The thing I liked about him is that he put action to his words. He basically said all the stuff Vat is saying regarding the degredation of our society, etc. etc., so he upped and left rather than sit around and complain about it.
 
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Life ain't fair dog. Come to grips with reality.
I bet those same words were told to the blacks as they got loaded up on the ships. Just because shit isn't fair, doesn't mean that it can't be.
I knew a guy who sounds like Vatoreous. I met him overseas and worked with him for about a year. He'd lived in over 20 countries and traveled to more than 60 over the course of about 30 years. He basically carried his entire life in a couple bags and had no real desire for anything beyond what he needed to get by. He had the most rudimentary cell phone I'd ever seen and a handful of clothes. No credit card, no bank account. I think the only documentation showing he even existed was his passport. He used computers and the internet, but only at cafes and other places like that; he didn't own a computer. He was one of the happiest guys I've ever known, despite being kind of stupid and dimwitted.

The thing I liked about him is that he put action to his words. He basically said all the stuff Vat is saying regarding the degredation of our society, etc. etc., so he upped and left rather than sit around and complain about it.
Which I am currently in the process of.
 

Cad

scientia potentia est
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I bet those same words were told to the blacks as they got loaded up on the ships. Just because shit isn't fair, doesn't mean that it can't be.
Lots of things "can" be. But part of your crisis relates to your inability to see the world as it is. You want the world to be one way, and it just isn't. When you accept that, you'll begin to see how your one small life can fit into the system of the world, rather than rejecting the world because it isn't the way you picture it ought to be.
 

Eomer

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Vatoreus Malfost_sl said:
I don't dislike society, I dislike the insane consumerist idealism that is prevalent in our modern society, shit has gotten out of hand. This forum is a method of interacting with people I normally would never have the chance to do.

I won't reject the fact that society exists and technological advances have been made. I would like to see these technological advances actually used for the betterment of all human life, not just that in the Western world. Which is why I have been working to change what little of it I can, to more suit my lifestyle and my ideologies. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of having a life of overprivileged access, while millions more suffer and die.
The rapid development of China and India towards consumerist, modern economies has resulted in pretty much the largest and quickest reduction of poverty in human history. Whether you like the system or not, it's effective at improving people's lot in life.

Vatoreus Malfost_sl said:
You people are acting like I'm screaming "Anarchy now! Destroy all civilization!" It's a tad ridiculous.
Nah, I just think you're being overly dramatic about it, and you're ignoring objective facts about the improvement in humanity's overall state of affairs. Things are getting better, not worse. And people in bumfuck Africa are not poor *because* you are rich (comparatively). They are poor because they live in fucked up countries with no infrastructure, no stability, no government. Most of the worst countries in the world to live have absolutely NOTHING to do with consumerism. What does consumerism have to do with the state of Congo, Uganda, Yemen and so on? Nothing. None of those countries have ever been a part of the world economy or trade in any serious way. And they'd be far better of if they were. Yes there are a lot of countries that are fucked up because of the hangover from colonialism, slavery and the like, but most of them were shitholes before whitey got there.
 

Rombo

Lord Nagafen Raider
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I bet those same words were told to the blacks as they got loaded up on the ships. Just because shit isn't fair, doesn't mean that it can't be.
.
And shit got fair for the bros because people stood up and fought it with concrete actions.
They didnt say '' Poor black dudes and their chains. Life sucks here and i cant be apart of it no more, ima make my bags and walk the earth, thats my statement!''.

Either way, youre comparing you life crisis with black slavery. No. It isnt that bad yet, take a deep breath.
 

Eomer

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Oh and if you don't believe me, have a looksie here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...an_development

Basically out of the most wretched countries in the world, only two didn't improve between 2010 and 2012. And actually if you look at all the levels of development, there's only what 7 countries that back slipped between 2010 and 2012. Out of close to 200. Cheer up, shit's getting better. Humans have been around for a couple hundred thousand years, give or take. For most of that time, we've barely lived above subsistence levels. Expecting the entirety of humanity to just waltz in to a post-scarcity state of existence is just not realistic.
 

Rombo

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I sure admire your patience to explain all that Eomer but... lets keep in mind we're talking to someone who placed on a pedastal a dude who played russian roulette. Helps keep things in perspective.
 

TrollfaceDeux

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Nah, I just think you're being overly dramatic about it, and you're ignoring objective facts about the improvement in humanity's overall state of affairs. Things are getting better, not worse. And people in bumfuck Africa are not poor *because* you are rich (comparatively). They are poor because they live in fucked up countries with no infrastructure, no stability, no government. Most of the worst countries in the world to live have absolutely NOTHING to do with consumerism. What does consumerism have to do with the state of Congo, Uganda, Yemen and so on? Nothing. None of those countries have ever been a part of the world economy or trade in any serious way. And they'd be far better of if they were. Yes there are a lot of countries that are fucked up because of the hangover from colonialism, slavery and the like, but most of them were shitholes before whitey got there.
didn't WTO give out loans to these countries in Africa.

but yeh. my world perspective is basically Cad's. I accept human imperfection. I just want to make best of it. After that, I became okay (not happy) and I was more stable than ever from my chronic depression and anxiety attacks. I accepted that I don't have to be the greatest, or work the best to get everything I seek to get. It's not the goal, it's the process, and so on. Shit took time to learn and I lost a lot of friends and work on the way...it sucks..but what can ya do.
 
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I sure admire your patience to explain all that Eomer but... lets keep in mind we're talking to someone who placed on a pedastal a dude who played russian roulette. Helps keep things in perspective.
Where the fuck did you get that in any of my post? He was an asshole, and it was the dumbest fucking thing this kid has ever done. He knew he was an asshole, it was kind of the thing about him. He was terminally ill, the doctors had nothing more they could do for him. The only thing he cared about was not dying in a fucking hospital, again. He wanted more than anything to not have his family watch him wither away a third time. He is on no pedestal, as he was just a person.
 

TrollfaceDeux

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Yes of course the World Bank, IMF, UN and numerous other organizations are quite involved in aid and development assistance in Africa. What's your point?
well, my point is that they are part of world economy in some way, since investment capitals from the West are flowing into a country where conditions on the ground may not ready to utilize them properly.