Current Events > How do you reconcile your own happiness and desires with human suffering?

(+) Yeah! (+)

The US is full of homeless people living on the street or in their cars. Full of people living 5 to a one bedroom apartment, of people living in abusive situations they can't escape. A significant portion of the population in the United States are a couple of paychecks away from homelessness themselves. In 2018, it was estimated that nearly half the world's population lives on less than $6 a day. I don't know a ton of successful or upper-middle class people, but of those that I do know, I know a single person who became successful on their own merits. Everyone else got significant help from family, friends, or in-laws. But in their minds, they did it all themselves and are self-made successes. Nobody ever helped them, and if you need help, it's because you are lazy or stupid or didn't do X, Y, and Z that they attribute their success to (it's even better when they didn't do those things themselves).

Sometimes, I just don't know what to think about my world or my place in it. Does anyone else get disturbed by these thoughts?

darkmaian23 posted...

Nobody ever helped them, and if you need help, it's because you are lazy or stupid or didn't do X, Y, and Z that they attribute their success to (it's even better when they didn't do those things themselves).

I don't live in a society that treats this as gospel truth. Sounds like that's the issue here. There's not an easy solution, since up and leaving isn't feasible for most people.

Just don't let the callousness of US society influence you, I guess. Good luck

Im not superman, and to end something like world suffering is a feat even superman couldn't do. I can feel bad about the homeless and help out where i can, but why should it affect my happiness?

bladegash posted...

Im not superman, and to end something like world suffering is a feat even superman couldn't do. I can feel bad about the homeless and help out where i can, but why should it affect my happiness?

Because our place in the world is largely arbitrary, and at any time through no fault of your own you could join the ranks of the homeless. Yes, we can plan and do our best to nudge our lives in a positive direction, but doesn't the lack of certainty scare you? I especially don't like it combined with the relative political instability in the United States and the continuing rise of inflation.

One needs to be strong and capable in order to help others. Weak people can't help themselves, let alone anyone else. So if you truly want to help make the world and society a better place, then some of your time and effort has to be devoted to caring for and improving upon yourself to be able to help people in better and more meaningful ways.

no one is responsible for the wellbeing of complete strangers