I appreciate you taking the time to craft a genuine reply. I am also happy for you if the advice you give has been successful in your own life. Certainly, community and social interactions work well for many to feel ‘better’ about themselves. Shared dreams are the easiest to believe after all.

I agree also that most humans are not possessed of terrible intentions. I do see many as being frustratingly simple and prone to magical thinking in order to avoid the harsh realities of their existences however. Religion and spirituality being the apex of such mental gymnastics. For instance, I don’t think it’s mere coincidence that religions often argue for unchecked human reproduction.

The products being sold in churches and other markets of cultural programming (namely hope, meaning, and purpose) are hard to resist when the reality is that none of those things truly exist anymore.

I should point out that the sort of existential dread I feel is not borne of some terrible depression although I can understand how it could easily be misunderstood/dismissed as such. It’s just that unlike most, my goal is not to escape, distract, or hide from tough realities. Instead, I seek to experience their full weight and still find joy and happiness despite them. In this respect, I have been quite successful but admit it’s a lot more work than simply swallowing some prepackaged version being sold by someone looking to profit off my human weaknesses.

Thank you again for your reply and I wish you and everyone the best on our shared and complex human journey.