The Hungry Ghost: the problem of heroic individualism
June 27, 2022 11:48 AM Subscribe
The Constant Restlessness You Feel Has a Name. Even before the pandemic, people were feeling that their work was unsustainable. Many were on the edge of burnout, overwhelmed by the unrelenting frantic and frenetic energy of today’s world. A common experience was, and still is, a mix of fatigue and restlessness, nervousness and dread. It is helpful to have language for what this is, how it works, and what you can do about it.
MetaFilter: recurring intuition that something isn’t quite right, but unsure what it is, let alone what to do about it
posted by glonous keming at 12:09 PM on June 27, 2022 [13 favorites]
posted by glonous keming at 12:09 PM on June 27, 2022 [13 favorites]
Mine used to be called “climate change”, upped its game a few years ago and is now called “climate change and fascism”. Probably “horrific capitalism” should get a nod in there somewhere but “climate change and fascism” covers a lot of that, turns out.
posted by Artw at 12:10 PM on June 27, 2022 [44 favorites]
posted by Artw at 12:10 PM on June 27, 2022 [44 favorites]
Why not just "capitalism"
posted by Tom-B at 12:17 PM on June 27, 2022 [25 favorites]
posted by Tom-B at 12:17 PM on June 27, 2022 [25 favorites]
Entirely fair point.
posted by Artw at 12:23 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 12:23 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
one realization i seem to have at least once a week is that no matter how anxious I get about "the state of the world", it's the little day to day personal disasters that actually stress me tf out. i don't know that knowing this is particularly helpful.
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 12:27 PM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 12:27 PM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Why not just "capitalism"
Because capitalist countries have not had a monopoly on environmental abuse. As a matter of fact, the surest predictor of whether a country is environmentally responsible is whether it is a highly functional democracy with low governmental corruption, not whatever version of economics is practiced there, and the surest predictor of environmental damage are the least democratic countries.
posted by tclark at 12:30 PM on June 27, 2022 [23 favorites]
Because capitalist countries have not had a monopoly on environmental abuse. As a matter of fact, the surest predictor of whether a country is environmentally responsible is whether it is a highly functional democracy with low governmental corruption, not whatever version of economics is practiced there, and the surest predictor of environmental damage are the least democratic countries.
posted by tclark at 12:30 PM on June 27, 2022 [23 favorites]
heroic individualism always moves the goalpost 10 yards down the field.
This echoes the "constant improvement" bullshit that some companies shovel at you. If corporate procedures and what-have-you can always be improved, that translates to Nothing Is Ever Good Enough.
posted by scratch at 12:37 PM on June 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
This echoes the "constant improvement" bullshit that some companies shovel at you. If corporate procedures and what-have-you can always be improved, that translates to Nothing Is Ever Good Enough.
posted by scratch at 12:37 PM on June 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
> Nothing Is Ever Good Enough
The other side of that abuse from the folks at the top of the economic dog pile is their guiding light of "Too Much Is Never Enough".
posted by Godspeed.You!Black.Emperor.Penguin at 12:53 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
The other side of that abuse from the folks at the top of the economic dog pile is their guiding light of "Too Much Is Never Enough".
posted by Godspeed.You!Black.Emperor.Penguin at 12:53 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
"Because capitalist countries have not had a monopoly on environmental abuse. As a matter of fact, the surest predictor of whether a country is environmentally responsible is whether it is a highly functional democracy with low governmental corruption, not whatever version of economics is practiced there, and the surest predictor of environmental damage are the least democratic countries."
I would argue that capitalism is diametrically opposed to democracy. so in countries with highly functioning democracies you find serious laws against the more horrible aspects of capitalism. It it still capitalism that is the bad guy. I would encourage reading "half earth socialism", for some ideas of other options. (They even have a rather challenging but interesting online game https://play.half.earth/)
I found starting a union at work to do a whole hell of a lot to change the way I feel about the world. Same with starting and joining local mutual aid groups, and joining the DSA, and getting active in politics. The struggle built solidarity, and a sense of actually doing something.
I don't know if these things will work for you, but I would encourage you to give it a try if you are finding yourself adrift in this loathsome time.
posted by stilgar at 1:03 PM on June 27, 2022 [13 favorites]
I would argue that capitalism is diametrically opposed to democracy. so in countries with highly functioning democracies you find serious laws against the more horrible aspects of capitalism. It it still capitalism that is the bad guy. I would encourage reading "half earth socialism", for some ideas of other options. (They even have a rather challenging but interesting online game https://play.half.earth/)
I found starting a union at work to do a whole hell of a lot to change the way I feel about the world. Same with starting and joining local mutual aid groups, and joining the DSA, and getting active in politics. The struggle built solidarity, and a sense of actually doing something.
I don't know if these things will work for you, but I would encourage you to give it a try if you are finding yourself adrift in this loathsome time.
posted by stilgar at 1:03 PM on June 27, 2022 [13 favorites]
'“We can’t do this anymore,” we admitted, our tears caught in our throats. In a political moment of seemingly constant crisis, completely stretched to capacity in every facet of the organization, something had to give.
What might we be able to accomplish if we let go of the urgency of the news cycle and strived for focus? So that fall — in the middle of campaigns, with ongoing grant commitments, despite all the pressures telling us not to — we said “no more” and decided to build the “MAPOut,” a process that would require us to fully stop all external work for four months as we determined the true purpose of our organization at this moment in history.'
posted by johnabbe at 1:18 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
What might we be able to accomplish if we let go of the urgency of the news cycle and strived for focus? So that fall — in the middle of campaigns, with ongoing grant commitments, despite all the pressures telling us not to — we said “no more” and decided to build the “MAPOut,” a process that would require us to fully stop all external work for four months as we determined the true purpose of our organization at this moment in history.'
posted by johnabbe at 1:18 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
The authors bio says that he’s a coach to executives, entrepreneurs and MDs. He’s not going to get very far saying “the solution to individualism - aka capitalism - is collectivist action”. He comes quite close with number 5 of his points (“build deep community”)
posted by The River Ivel at 1:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The River Ivel at 1:25 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
If corporate procedures and what-have-you can always be improved, that translates to Nothing Is Ever Good Enough.
Unless it's one of the C-suite's sacred cows that needs improving. Then it's "we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good".
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:28 PM on June 27, 2022
Unless it's one of the C-suite's sacred cows that needs improving. Then it's "we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good".
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:28 PM on June 27, 2022
I really hate when they call Buddhism "ancient eastern psychology," and pretend that they are not just repackaging its basic tenets.
Personally, I don't think that cherry-picking ideas from an established religion and ignoring the larger implications that surround those ideas are really beneficial for anyone. But if you are going to do it, you should at least be honest about it. Don't use weasel words to make it look like you did some kind of deep dive into ancient psychology, when you are just talking about the basic concepts that every Buddhist today is familiar with.
posted by Quonab at 1:30 PM on June 27, 2022 [37 favorites]
Personally, I don't think that cherry-picking ideas from an established religion and ignoring the larger implications that surround those ideas are really beneficial for anyone. But if you are going to do it, you should at least be honest about it. Don't use weasel words to make it look like you did some kind of deep dive into ancient psychology, when you are just talking about the basic concepts that every Buddhist today is familiar with.
posted by Quonab at 1:30 PM on June 27, 2022 [37 favorites]
I would argue that capitalism is diametrically opposed to democracy. so in countries with highly functioning democracies you find serious laws against the more horrible aspects of capitalism.
Indeed, and you see laws against the more horrible aspects of communism as well, by preserving things like labor unions and private enterprise in specific economic sectors. Largely you see social democracies with mixed economies and true multi-party (as opposed to single party or two-party) systems.
I just find it continually tiresome that someone threadshits "because capitalism" when the problem isn't capitalism, it's people with power being unaccountable to the public. ALL economic systems and most political systems tend toward accumulation of wealth and power and toward unaccountable elites. It doesn't do any good to fight the symbolic boogeyman of capitalism because that's just as stupid as so many Americans to frothily hate Socialism without even being able to form a coherent definition of it.
And it distracts from the TRUE problems driving climate change (easy and cheap energy for the last several centuries has been incredibly polluting, and entrenched interests want to preserve that), and the problem with cultures that play up personal sacrifice to a system that is not responsive to the public and doesn't give a shit about it. Doesn't matter if the system is capitalistic, autarky, or socialist, the problem is people in power find it easy to exploit those who are not.
Want to get rid of capitalism? Fine. But if you are foolish enough to believe that the problem is capitalism, the new economic and political system you set up will have the same endemic issues of exploitation and environmental abuse, and the world will keep chugging along to a 4C temperature increase and people's standard of living will keep rushing toward the bottom while whoever become the new folks in power build personal armies to protect them.
posted by tclark at 1:51 PM on June 27, 2022 [30 favorites]
Indeed, and you see laws against the more horrible aspects of communism as well, by preserving things like labor unions and private enterprise in specific economic sectors. Largely you see social democracies with mixed economies and true multi-party (as opposed to single party or two-party) systems.
I just find it continually tiresome that someone threadshits "because capitalism" when the problem isn't capitalism, it's people with power being unaccountable to the public. ALL economic systems and most political systems tend toward accumulation of wealth and power and toward unaccountable elites. It doesn't do any good to fight the symbolic boogeyman of capitalism because that's just as stupid as so many Americans to frothily hate Socialism without even being able to form a coherent definition of it.
And it distracts from the TRUE problems driving climate change (easy and cheap energy for the last several centuries has been incredibly polluting, and entrenched interests want to preserve that), and the problem with cultures that play up personal sacrifice to a system that is not responsive to the public and doesn't give a shit about it. Doesn't matter if the system is capitalistic, autarky, or socialist, the problem is people in power find it easy to exploit those who are not.
Want to get rid of capitalism? Fine. But if you are foolish enough to believe that the problem is capitalism, the new economic and political system you set up will have the same endemic issues of exploitation and environmental abuse, and the world will keep chugging along to a 4C temperature increase and people's standard of living will keep rushing toward the bottom while whoever become the new folks in power build personal armies to protect them.
posted by tclark at 1:51 PM on June 27, 2022 [30 favorites]
I really hate when they call Buddhism "ancient eastern psychology," and pretend that they are not just repackaging its basic tenets.
Personally, I don't think that cherry-picking ideas from an established religion and ignoring the larger implications that surround that idea is really beneficial for anyone. But if you are going to do it, you should at least be honest about it. Don't use weasel words to make it look like you did some kind of deep dive into ancient psychology, when you are just talking about the basic concepts that every Buddhist today is familiar with.
This has been on my mind a lot as of late and I really find it hard to not uncharitably call it theft and appropriation from brown people by primarily white people for material gain and fame.
posted by nanook at 2:27 PM on June 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
Personally, I don't think that cherry-picking ideas from an established religion and ignoring the larger implications that surround that idea is really beneficial for anyone. But if you are going to do it, you should at least be honest about it. Don't use weasel words to make it look like you did some kind of deep dive into ancient psychology, when you are just talking about the basic concepts that every Buddhist today is familiar with.
This has been on my mind a lot as of late and I really find it hard to not uncharitably call it theft and appropriation from brown people by primarily white people for material gain and fame.
posted by nanook at 2:27 PM on June 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
sigh - i think he got hungry ghosts wrong - they're hungry because they have big mouths and big stomachs and big appetites and a teensy, little throat to swallow things with
and what he's describing really isn't heroic individualism at all - it's heroic collectivism and its goals imposed upon people
also, something about a groundedness built on rock and a groundedness build on sand come to mind - as long as we're quoting ancient eastern philosophy
and we seem to be living on quicksand these days
but you know, as long as he can convince people that they're grounded on the ideals their egos tell them they should be grounded on, i guess they'll feel a little better
it's neither the wind or the flag that's grounded and come to think of it, neither is your mind
i rather hate this kind of crap, you know
posted by pyramid termite at 2:36 PM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
and what he's describing really isn't heroic individualism at all - it's heroic collectivism and its goals imposed upon people
also, something about a groundedness built on rock and a groundedness build on sand come to mind - as long as we're quoting ancient eastern philosophy
and we seem to be living on quicksand these days
but you know, as long as he can convince people that they're grounded on the ideals their egos tell them they should be grounded on, i guess they'll feel a little better
it's neither the wind or the flag that's grounded and come to think of it, neither is your mind
i rather hate this kind of crap, you know
posted by pyramid termite at 2:36 PM on June 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
tl dr: maybe we damn well ought to feel anxious and unsettled right now
posted by pyramid termite at 2:38 PM on June 27, 2022 [18 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite at 2:38 PM on June 27, 2022 [18 favorites]
It is simultaneously true that not all economic systems are equally bad vis a vis democracy or environmentalism (with capitalism being fairly egregious on the scale of things), and that capitalism is not the only economic system that contains some fundamental, structural conflicts with democracy and environmental sustainability.
The second part is less clear if you’re of the political persuasion that considers eg. the USSR or China as having practiced forms of state capitalism, not communism. I don’t really know enough to have a strong opinion but certainly lean that way myself - they didn’t practice communism as originally theorized or envisioned, at any rate - but I could also see them being different enough to have a novel name and description. But looking back in history, the mercantilism that preceded capitalism was certainly pretty antagonistic to both democracy and the environment, as were many forms of feudalism and similar economic systems.
The connection with democracy is indeed a stronger factor, from what I’ve read. But there are some forms of socialism that are much better and more structurally aligned with democracy, that have structural (not merely political regulatory) mechanisms that help limit extreme wealth accumulation for example. So the claim that all economic systems are equally bad in this respect is also inaccurate.
posted by eviemath at 3:54 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
The second part is less clear if you’re of the political persuasion that considers eg. the USSR or China as having practiced forms of state capitalism, not communism. I don’t really know enough to have a strong opinion but certainly lean that way myself - they didn’t practice communism as originally theorized or envisioned, at any rate - but I could also see them being different enough to have a novel name and description. But looking back in history, the mercantilism that preceded capitalism was certainly pretty antagonistic to both democracy and the environment, as were many forms of feudalism and similar economic systems.
The connection with democracy is indeed a stronger factor, from what I’ve read. But there are some forms of socialism that are much better and more structurally aligned with democracy, that have structural (not merely political regulatory) mechanisms that help limit extreme wealth accumulation for example. So the claim that all economic systems are equally bad in this respect is also inaccurate.
posted by eviemath at 3:54 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Mine used to be called “climate change”, upped its game a few years ago and is now called “climate change and fascism”. Probably “horrific capitalism” should get a nod in there somewhere but “climate change and fascism” covers a lot of that, turns out.
posted by Artw at 3:10 PM on June 27 [18 favorites −] Favorite added! [!]
Why not just "capitalism"
posted by Tom-B at 3:17 PM on June 27 [11 favorites −] Favorite added! [!]
Baby steps, people
The Lumpenproletariat must learn to walk before it can run
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 4:39 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 3:10 PM on June 27 [18 favorites −] Favorite added! [!]
Why not just "capitalism"
posted by Tom-B at 3:17 PM on June 27 [11 favorites −] Favorite added! [!]
Baby steps, people
The Lumpenproletariat must learn to walk before it can run
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 4:39 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Limpin' Proletariat
posted by scratch at 4:47 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by scratch at 4:47 PM on June 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
tclark I agree with this
TRUE problems driving climate change (easy and cheap energy for the last several centuries has been incredibly polluting, and entrenched interests want to preserve that)
and your comments about power
But there IS something unique about capitalism that is ABSOLUTELY driving environmental destruction and ecocide, including climate change.
Eternal Growth . Capitalism is dependent on growth and not a steady state.
Show me a capitalist economy, with the most wonderful participation, democracy, meritocracy, checks and balances, lack of oligarchies etc. etc....... that needs eternal growth, and I will show you a dead planet. It's only a matter of WHEN.
Because we have finite resources.
posted by lalochezia at 5:11 PM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
TRUE problems driving climate change (easy and cheap energy for the last several centuries has been incredibly polluting, and entrenched interests want to preserve that)
and your comments about power
But there IS something unique about capitalism that is ABSOLUTELY driving environmental destruction and ecocide, including climate change.
Eternal Growth . Capitalism is dependent on growth and not a steady state.
Show me a capitalist economy, with the most wonderful participation, democracy, meritocracy, checks and balances, lack of oligarchies etc. etc....... that needs eternal growth, and I will show you a dead planet. It's only a matter of WHEN.
Because we have finite resources.
posted by lalochezia at 5:11 PM on June 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
I feel like a better and cleaner way of reaching for calm is from The Nap Ministry.
I follow on Instagram and am eager to read the founder's book.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:27 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
I follow on Instagram and am eager to read the founder's book.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:27 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
And I'm more inclined to follow non white voices related to these issues.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:30 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:30 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
It's completely possible to both believe that Capitalism (or whatever else) is the root cause of many social/psychological problems AND to believe that each person has significant agency over how they deal with that system. Systems like Capitalism affect different people in dramatically different ways and there were probably some people who felt like this during peak communist Russia because of their particular responsibilities (minus the phone part).
That said, this article doesn't particularly make me want to read his book. "Groundedness" has been used in self-help circles for years but it's always really vague and none of his definitions seem like they're headed towards anything specifically helpful. "Be present in the moment" is such a cliche at this point that it's almost completely meaningless
posted by JZig at 6:05 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
That said, this article doesn't particularly make me want to read his book. "Groundedness" has been used in self-help circles for years but it's always really vague and none of his definitions seem like they're headed towards anything specifically helpful. "Be present in the moment" is such a cliche at this point that it's almost completely meaningless
posted by JZig at 6:05 PM on June 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Be present in this horrible moment! What's wrong, you look like you're not breathing deeply?!?
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:08 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:08 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Capitalism is dependent on growth and not a steady state.
That's not necessarily true, as private enterprise and personal or corporate ownership of the means of production of a company whose employees are paid for their labor via wages or salary are things that can exist just fine in a steady-state economy. Just like banning exploitative labor practices, safety regulations and criminalization of product market manipulation don't make capitalism go away, neither does the removal for arbitrary eternal growth. Even stock markets are not predicated upon eternal growth if corporations' perceived worth were not tied to market capitalization and their stocks were not required to be value-accruing investment assets but as vehicles for distribution of dividends -- stocks with a more or less stable value can exist just fine and be attractive to purchasers specifically for the dividends rather than by the stock gaining value directly. The fact that dividends have gone out of fashion has only reinforced the IMO mistaken idea that capitalism requires eternal growth -- that's the propaganda and ideology of the rentier class. The ones who want to take two profitable companies and combine them to make MORE profit by laying off people. As profoundly unfashionable as it is, and despite the plutocrats' insistence to the contrary, you can have demand side capitalistic economics that do not rely on infinite growth. Demand-side economics has been so completely disfavored that most people don't even realize it exists.
posted by tclark at 6:31 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
That's not necessarily true, as private enterprise and personal or corporate ownership of the means of production of a company whose employees are paid for their labor via wages or salary are things that can exist just fine in a steady-state economy. Just like banning exploitative labor practices, safety regulations and criminalization of product market manipulation don't make capitalism go away, neither does the removal for arbitrary eternal growth. Even stock markets are not predicated upon eternal growth if corporations' perceived worth were not tied to market capitalization and their stocks were not required to be value-accruing investment assets but as vehicles for distribution of dividends -- stocks with a more or less stable value can exist just fine and be attractive to purchasers specifically for the dividends rather than by the stock gaining value directly. The fact that dividends have gone out of fashion has only reinforced the IMO mistaken idea that capitalism requires eternal growth -- that's the propaganda and ideology of the rentier class. The ones who want to take two profitable companies and combine them to make MORE profit by laying off people. As profoundly unfashionable as it is, and despite the plutocrats' insistence to the contrary, you can have demand side capitalistic economics that do not rely on infinite growth. Demand-side economics has been so completely disfavored that most people don't even realize it exists.
posted by tclark at 6:31 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
maybe we damn well ought to feel anxious and unsettled right now
posted by pyramid termite
I would argue that anybody who doesn't feel that way, and then some, is part of the problem.
posted by Pouteria at 6:34 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite
I would argue that anybody who doesn't feel that way, and then some, is part of the problem.
posted by Pouteria at 6:34 PM on June 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
> I would argue that capitalism is diametrically opposed to democracy.
They are. Democracy says one person, one vote. Capitalism says one dollar, one vote.
And when people tell you to "vote with your dollars" they're hoping you don't realize that gives people with more dollars more votes.
Capitalism without a strict leash absolutely depends on infinite growth, and any corporation that doesn't focus on maximizing growth and profit is replaced by one that does. Which is terrible, because it often isn't "make a profit" that causes corporate destruction so much as "maximizing profit."
posted by AlSweigart at 7:20 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
They are. Democracy says one person, one vote. Capitalism says one dollar, one vote.
And when people tell you to "vote with your dollars" they're hoping you don't realize that gives people with more dollars more votes.
Capitalism without a strict leash absolutely depends on infinite growth, and any corporation that doesn't focus on maximizing growth and profit is replaced by one that does. Which is terrible, because it often isn't "make a profit" that causes corporate destruction so much as "maximizing profit."
posted by AlSweigart at 7:20 PM on June 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Be present in this horrible moment! What's wrong, you look like you're not breathing deeply?!?
Fucking SERIOUSLY.
posted by scratch at 7:34 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Fucking SERIOUSLY.
posted by scratch at 7:34 PM on June 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
I would argue that anybody who doesn't feel that way, and then some, is part of the problem.
Going with this, and the idea that it’s not heroic individualism, but collectivism that pyramid termite mentioned, I can’t help but think this is a big part of it.
I’m worried, but my worries aren’t centered in myself. My ever growing impostor syndrome has me terrified that when I’m found out, or at least found wanting, I will have nowhere to go but down. When that happens? My fear is for being able to maintain the home I’ve built for my wife and I, and making sure she is comfortable. I’m terrified of not being able to provide.
I’m terrified of how quickly things are cascading. I thought we’d have more time, that there was more distance between the shit and the fan, but it looks like we don’t, or, if this isn’t “it,” if this is just a blip, a preview, than I’m even more uneasy about the future, not for me, because I don’t honestly see a place for me in it, but for the kids I teach, for the neighbors with adorable kids and the increasingly bleak future they face.
My unease is directly connected to my connection to the world and the people in it. I fear for myself, but not nearly as much as I fear for my loved ones, my students, my neighbors, hell, for all of you here.
Yet, and they grow more visible every day, the people who see profit in every disaster, money to be earned from suffering, more ways to exploit, to grind down, to extract until there’s nothing left (and moving on to the next site), to “disrupt” and in doing so destabilize and make countless lives more precarious, there is no community for them, no sense of belonging. Only more, only me. They looked at the commons and saw profit, and they’ve taken it, and we’re left trying to figure out how to sustain our community on the scraps left behind.
Yeah. I feel dread, fatigue, and unease. It’s not because I’m a hero, or focused on what I can achieve. It’s because I think, if it’s not here yet, the time to hold each other close is coming, and lifecoaches to the extracting class aren’t exactly helping things.
posted by Ghidorah at 3:48 AM on June 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
Going with this, and the idea that it’s not heroic individualism, but collectivism that pyramid termite mentioned, I can’t help but think this is a big part of it.
I’m worried, but my worries aren’t centered in myself. My ever growing impostor syndrome has me terrified that when I’m found out, or at least found wanting, I will have nowhere to go but down. When that happens? My fear is for being able to maintain the home I’ve built for my wife and I, and making sure she is comfortable. I’m terrified of not being able to provide.
I’m terrified of how quickly things are cascading. I thought we’d have more time, that there was more distance between the shit and the fan, but it looks like we don’t, or, if this isn’t “it,” if this is just a blip, a preview, than I’m even more uneasy about the future, not for me, because I don’t honestly see a place for me in it, but for the kids I teach, for the neighbors with adorable kids and the increasingly bleak future they face.
My unease is directly connected to my connection to the world and the people in it. I fear for myself, but not nearly as much as I fear for my loved ones, my students, my neighbors, hell, for all of you here.
Yet, and they grow more visible every day, the people who see profit in every disaster, money to be earned from suffering, more ways to exploit, to grind down, to extract until there’s nothing left (and moving on to the next site), to “disrupt” and in doing so destabilize and make countless lives more precarious, there is no community for them, no sense of belonging. Only more, only me. They looked at the commons and saw profit, and they’ve taken it, and we’re left trying to figure out how to sustain our community on the scraps left behind.
Yeah. I feel dread, fatigue, and unease. It’s not because I’m a hero, or focused on what I can achieve. It’s because I think, if it’s not here yet, the time to hold each other close is coming, and lifecoaches to the extracting class aren’t exactly helping things.
posted by Ghidorah at 3:48 AM on June 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
I really hate when they call Buddhism "ancient eastern psychology," and pretend that they are not just repackaging its basic tenets.
Especially annoying when it’s one more retread of Be Here Now or Psychotherapy East and West.
posted by snuffleupagus at 4:35 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Especially annoying when it’s one more retread of Be Here Now or Psychotherapy East and West.
posted by snuffleupagus at 4:35 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yeah this is the typically repackaged Eastern philosophy removed of all that "extraneous" culture stuff which is so common in the American self help world... In these anxious times if someone can find some solace in this stuff great but you'd be better off reading Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning focusing on his concept of "tragic optimism." YMMV of course.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:17 AM on June 28, 2022
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:17 AM on June 28, 2022
I really hate when they call Buddhism "ancient eastern psychology," and pretend that they are not just repackaging its basic tenets.Be Here Now and Psychotherapy East and West attempted to be serious, and were original in their times. TFA is just commercial speech.
Especially annoying when it’s one more retread of Be Here Now or Psychotherapy East and West.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 9:23 AM on June 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
I find it really interesting how the culture of ruthless self-optimization parallels Bezos’ famous “cut they lowest 10% every year” obsession. Especially the part where Amazon is starting to realize that viewing turnover as a positive, at their scale, is threatening to run them completely out of people to hire. There’s a great object lesson here if you take the view that in about two years Amazon will be the first actual company to experience burnout.
posted by gelfin at 9:26 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by gelfin at 9:26 AM on June 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by heyitsgogi at 11:58 AM on June 27, 2022 [53 favorites]