It’s not so much thinking highly of myself as not being able to elicit much in the way of rationale from others who think differently.
I would love nothing more than to be wrong about the direction in which humanity is headed, but sadly, this doesn’t seem yet to be the case.
If you can help me out with reasons why I am wrong to think this way, I would be very very grateful.
I hear you. It's easy to fall into this way of thinking when looking out at the world. Inevitably the majority of people will be "mid" people and if you have niche interests it is going to feel a bit lonely at times. But from my experience most people are good people with good intentions, it's just the "bad ones" are often the noisiest.
I recommend looking for social clubs or IRL meetups for the things that interest you. Once you have a good community of people with shared interests the world doesnt seem so dark.
Also, consider developing some form of spiritual practice, for example starting with meditation. Read spiritual/religious/philosophical books and develop a curiosity for the mysteries of life 😊 this is my strongest recommendation
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.
Perhaps you shouldn't think so lowly of those capable of contemplating mysteries. Yes, prepackaged religions are often farcicle and used as a means of control and placation. But they hint at a core perrenial truth and the true spiritual practices do not teach copium but immersion by fire, "drowning in the seas of the unknown" essentially true spiritual practice teaches full awareness of all good and all bad "yin and the yang". No ignorance should be allowed. Granted you likely wont find this by going to your local house of worship, but there are those who have existed through time who have explored these concepts to great detail. I recommend starting with the works of Carl Jung and Aldous Huxley if you want the acedemic view. Alan watts is good for a bit more of an entertaining delivery.
You are pulling the right strings. Godspeed on your journey of life.
