Attitude during current events advice

[Price]

So let me preface what am about to say by first saying that yes, I am fully aware that are very serious issues in society both here in the states and around the world. It isn't that I don't want to acknowledge that they exist, I get that they do and that they to be addressed. I understand that things like political issues, social reform, racism and racial issues, immigration, refugees and asylum seeker issues, war and terrorism, so on and so on, I get that these things are real. At the same time, am I the only one who is feeling a sense of exhaustion or fatigue from having these issues and subsequently agendas pushed at me in my face seemingly twenty-four seven?

It's hard to put into words, but I feel like I know that there are all these issues that are out there and yes I do want them to be resolved, but I also feel like I can't even check my facebook without seeing my friends yelling at each other for being on different ends of the spectrum over the latest Trump news or something along those lines. I can't watch a movie without there being a social reform or political agenda conveniently wedged in there. I can't turn on the sports channel without hearing a commentator or an athlete championing for the latest cause. Again, I know stuff is important...but am I wrong for feeling a certain sense of burnout with it all? It just seems like no matter what I think about any issue, there is a finger wagging in my face ready to tell me off about how awful of a person I am for thinking a certain way about any kind of issue, and I just feel like everything is so hostile that it seems like people are really just wanting to be angry and don't even care about what they pretend to care about.

I'm young, only twenty-two, so I'm sure are some more experienced people on the site who have lived through more volatile times. Anybody have any advice on how to deal with all of this? Am I wrong for thinking this way? Part of me just wants to check out, buy my own little private island and peace out on society for awhile and another part of me thinks I'm selfish and heartless for thinking that way. I don't know, I'm just confused. What are y'alls thoughts?

[Kris]

I think it was always there, people are just more vocal about it.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Yea, the whiners have all the microphones now so it's hard to escape the stupidity. Trust me I'm feeling the same way, what helps me is finding the stuff I agree with Youtube helps with users like No Bullshit, Sir Sic, the Amazing Lucas, Steven Crowder my list goes on, but if you don't want to be neck deep in politics the best thing I can tell ya is just try to avoid it.

Dive into RPA or video games whatever takes your mind off it, just never join the madness of all politics by making a channel or the like about it cause then you'll be stuck in it for good. Lock'n' load you own views and hold them up, just don't shove them in peoples faces like all the Whiners from out west do.

[Leanna]

Hi.

I can understand your burnout. Honestly, American politics are divisive. First off, the two-party system is very polarising. It encourages tribalism and creates an ‘Us-versus-Them’ mentality that doesn’t really exist in a lot of places in Europe at the moment.

(They have been there, done that. They’re over it.)

For instance, here in Ireland, there are eight political parties that are all equally represented, with each having a decent amount of public support. The eight parties could be thought of as a gray gradient of ideas; but America seems to like painting in black and white.

The problem is that the two-party system is loved by big business and corporations, because right now they have an iron grip on them both. (Money makes the world go round, ugh.) I think it is very well known that both sides of the political spectrum in the US are controlled by these corporations (i.e. pharmaceuticals, war profiteering, data protection, and more.)

More parties = harder for corporations to control government.
More parties = harder for extremists to get into power.
More parties = less bickering between people.

You can always find things in common with others when things are on a ‘gray gradient,’ because ultimately, most people are not extremists. They just get identified with an ideology that is labeled ‘extreme’ by the other side, because there are only two options.

Anyway. The best way to fight this is to reject identity politics to a degree. Simply listen to others without the need to be ‘right.’ Don’t shut people out because they disagree. Don’t only surround yourself by ideologies that cater to your confirmation bias.

I truly believe that corporations want ‘normal folk’ to bicker because it distracts them from what is really going on: bribing of politicians. Because, essentially, the US is an oligarchy that calls itself a democracy.

I could be wrong, but these are my conclusions from ten years of looking in from the outside. And just to clarify, I’m an American from an overwhelmingly liberal state (but from a Christian fundamentalist and Republican family). Yet I honestly rejected all of the above, to an extent. I just want to make sense of the world by experience, and not by drinking in what others tell me.

[Crazywolf]

All I can really say is that if your facebook feed is getting that way maybe it would be good to take a break from social media for a while.

Personally I don't think its selfish if you don't want to think about these things all the time. If you care about isues that's great but simply arguing about them with other people on facebook isn't actually going to make any difference in terms of changing anything.

[Leanna]

I agree with Crazywolf. It’s not selfish, at all. Social media should not be soul-sucking. It’s not selfish to even ignore the news at times. If you pay attention to all the tragedies that happen every day, you’re like to get weighted down. The world can be so bleak.

[Pad]

Do what I do and if that shit gets too excessive, just unfollow the people behind such posts. You'll still be friends, you just won't be getting all their posts on your news feed. I do kinda see where you're coming from, but at the same time I feel like a lot of these issues do need to be talked about. Even if someone is copying and pasting certain things just to attract a few 'Likes', it's still drawing attention to issues that are negatively impacting our lives, or to certain information the "fat cat" politicians and media moguls don't want you to see, etc, etc. So, ultimately, it's KIND of a good attitude, but at the same time it does get a bit tiresome. I'd rather be tired of it and have the option to steer away from it (which we all do) then for it to just outright stop though.

[ｒａｂｂｉｔ]

I like to use the "snooze" feature on fb - it won't snooze posts from your friend, but it WILL snooze posts from the original source; the "hide post" also hides posts LIKE the one you've selected to hide, ie, political, etc, and I think facebook in particular created these features specifically for this issue.

Leanna does have a point about exposing yourself to other viewpoints and people that you may disagree with though. Personally, I tend to get very emotional (ie, rage crying) about many subjects that are deemed "political" but i still do my best to try to understand the other person, where they may be coming from with their ideas and thoughts, and also try to help them see my side of things, even though they may not want to.

[Price]

Thank you everybody! It's good to know I'm not the only one who can get worn down and I really appreciate all the helpful advice.

[Leanna]

Heh. Thanks, Rabbit.

I just really believe in the importance of taking critical looks at our own selves (and yes, this can be extremely difficult); but I believe this is necessary across a whole array of topics. Nationalities, political belief, religious belief, everything.

I mean, we live in a world chock full of nuance—and we all view that world through our own special set of opaque lens. I think those lens become more clear when engagement with differing opinions, different cultures, etc. etc. occurs.

Insularity is not good for the mind, imho

It is a trip and a half though, watching the US from out here for so long. When I left Bush was president. Jeeeebus. That feels like so long ago.