Discontent and sadness in today’s society

[flowerseverywhere]

Everywhere I go I see so much sadness, rage, and people who just seem to have given up.

driving n a highway can be downright frightening. The other day at the grocery store a woman with a fussy baby was carrying a few items and I asked if she wanted to go ahead of me. The guy behind me yelled ay me for holding up the line. One person, a few items. I went to a holiday party last evening. Almost no one seemed n the spirit, very little Christmas themed clothing, like a red shirt with a holiday necklace for instance. The party seemed void of joy.

I was at a restaurant recently and half the room was
Playing with phones or talking on them and seemed resigned.
I see so few posts here.

where has the joy and friendship gone? Is everyone depressed?

[pinkytoe]

I suspect the lure of the internet has corroded the will and civility we had once. Even DH is now addicted to YouTube and watches it several hours a day - makes me sad. Driving anywhere now is a whole other kind of weirdness. There is a sense of entitlement and lawlessness watching drivers speed through the school zones or run through red lights.

[iris lilies]

Go outside. Touch grass. Join an activity in your neighborhood.

Today we had hundreds of folks through our house for the holiday house tour and none presented as the morose group you describe, flowers.

Are you yourself ok? I wonder of you are projecting onto those around you.

[KayLR]

It can get to you if you're prone to doom scrolling and don't see many people besides those who are very like you.

We have the grandson here for the weekend and just returned from the town's Forest Fest parade. It was old-fashioned, somewhat corny, and I loved it. Absolutely everyone was happy and festive even in drizzly rain. Could've stayed home and doomscrolled, but glad I didn't!

[Tradd]

Plague times broke a lot of people, IMO.

I went out to breakfast today with a friend after this morning's church service for St Nicholas Day. Nice local family owned place, all decorated nicely for the holiday.

Went to a holiday concert at a community college. My church choir director teaches there and directed the band. It was lovely. Lots of people had antlers, Santa hats, etc.

I enjoy the Christmas lights I see on my daily commute. Too many people take no joy in anything.

[catherine]

I have been doing a lot of reading related to this topic for my upcoming chapter on spirituality, and Tradd you touch on something I think is key... no joy.

As I mentioned in other posts, I recently read "Against the Machine" by Paul Kingsnorth, and his argument is that a complex web of cultural factors have worked together to strip joy, and the way people can reclaim it through his "4 Ps"--"Past (sense of history), Place (rootedness), People (connection), and Prayer (spiritual practice)."

Tradd, you might find it interesting that Kingsnorth converted from having no spiritual grounding to being an Orthodox Catholic--a move that was surprising even to himself. He left his home in London and now lives in a little house on the cost of Ireland.

Another person who believed in the power of joy was Arne Naes, the Norwegian who founded deep ecology. He said that joy is derived from the self-actualization of our value experiences--in other words, the ability for your actions to fulfill things that are important to you--self-actualization.

The part of "The Machine" that have eroded these elements of joy are the dehumanizing elements like technology taking the place of personal connection, ignoring our roots, traditions, and rituals, and all the other shallow diversions that have replaced those everyday activities that kept us rooted to nature and place, and with self-driven purpose.

[iris lilies]

I have been doing a lot of reading related to this topic for my upcoming chapter on spirituality, and Tradd you touch on something I think is key... no joy.

As I mentioned in other posts, I recently read "Against the Machine" by Paul Kingsnorth, and his argument is that a complex web of cultural factors have worked together to strip joy, and the way people can reclaim it through his "4 Ps"--"Past (sense of history), Place (rootedness), People (connection), and Prayer (spiritual practice)."

Tradd, you might find it interesting that Kingsnorth converted from having no spiritual grounding to being an Orthodox Catholic--a move that was surprising even to himself. He left his home in London and now lives in a little house on the cost of Ireland.

Another person who believed in the power of joy was Arne Naes, the Norwegian who founded deep ecology. He said that joy is derived from the self-actualization of our value experiences--in other words, the ability for your actions to fulfill things that are important to you--self-actualization.

The part of "The Machine" that have eroded these elements of joy are the dehumanizing elements like technology taking the place of personal connection, ignoring our roots, traditions, and rituals, and all the other shallow diversions that have replaced those everyday activities that kept us rooted to nature and place, and with self-driven purpose.

Being able to live with self driven purpose is a luxury, I know, yet I have always kept Maslow in the back of my mind as the ultimate in right. When you get to self-actualization in your life, you have achieved true success in living. When you get there you know. WYKYK.

[Rogar]

I see the obsession with cell phones and digital media a societal problem beyond just doom scrolling. I take good weather trips along a nature trail near by and during the summer I took informal surveys of people out walking, and for people walking alone, about two thirds were using their cell phones. Alone but dog walking it dropped to maybe half or a third. And it's a really pretty area to walk. At my Thanksgiving dinner the host said politics were not on the menu. However it was inevitable that the cell phone would come out before desert.

And I'd second the issue around declining church participation. Organized religions are not for me, but I see their value for society. They provide good a good moral compass for behavior and the support of real humans as a group. Although I'm not too sure what has happened to the strict evangelicals who proclaim we are all sinners. That's got to put a damper on one's life.

[Tybee]

I have felt a lot of discontent, sadness, and foreboding since djt was elected in 2016.

[happystuff]

I've been stepping out of a my comfort zone a little bit more this holiday season and have been finding the one-two holiday events I've attended ended up being quite nice. They each started off slow, but I found that when I approached people with joy, they were more than ready to respond in kind! Maybe it just takes someone to "break the ice" and if I want joy, it needs to start with me??? I don't know. Just a thought.

[frugal-one]

I have felt a lot of discontent, sadness, and foreboding since djt was elected in 2016.

I see the result of his reign. I am saddened by the vast number of people hurt by his actions. One place I’ve donated is to the food bank. I cannot imagine people going hungry in this country. My salvation is that I am in a senior community with lots to do and people to hang out with. Prior to being here, I was constantly stressed. For a while, during covid and trump’s rabid assertions, I could not even concentrate to read a book. The country has definitely gone downhill because of him!

[Alan]

I think a trend, sometimes declared but often ignored, is emerging.

[catherine]

I think a trend, sometimes declared but often ignored, is emerging.

And that trend is...? Are you talking about GenZ returning to organized religion? Could that be it?

[Alan]

And that trend is...?
I was simply referencing the couple of responses which admitted to feeling discontent and sadness while also providing a rationale for it.


Are you talking about GenZ returning to organized religion? I think that's unrelated to the OP's observation and actually provides the opposite outcome.
I remember noticing during the last 5 or 6 years of my work life, while I was the old guy observing the young pups coming into the work force, that there seemed to be an upswing in religious participation. Since that time I've also noticed that the preponderance of my assorted nieces/nephews and their children seem to have embraced organized religion in a manner they were not raised with. Personally, I think that's the result of newer churches embracing a ministry of informality, sociability, kindness and community. Although that may be too simplistic an explanation, I'm not sure. I do know that they all seem to be quite happy.

[HappyHiker]

Yes, I do think there's more sadness and discontent in our society today. Some were hoping for "making American great again" and that, imho, hasn't happened, only the opposite. The rising costs of everything--housing, food, cars --not being matched in increased paychecks of regular working folks contributes to disillusionment and anger...

People seem to be acting out more--in airports, in stores, on the streets. A lot of anger seething underneath--short fuses ready to ignite..

For me, the solution is to dis-connect with much online activity (yet here I am!) and spend more time immersed in nature, in books, in being with like-minded people in real life. And in volunteering in my community.

I think the virtual life is not healthy--it can divide us and is impersonal. I'm calling people more--I want to hear their voices and inflections--which I don't get through texts or emails...and smart phones can't give hugs. We need that touch.

[flowerseverywhere]

Great points raised. I don’t doomscroll and only use social media to look at quilts, sourdough tips and so on. No news watching but people tell me things. Lots of sunshine, walks and pool time every day (Florida) and lots of socializing. I avoid politics so don’t come here often. Politics are inserted into so many posts here and often opinions are not respected.

Since I volunteer with groups that help homeless, sick and foster kids etc I see a lot of people who struggle.

and I see the opposite of what Allen does in churches. Most of my friends kids and grandkids don’t attend and people talk about no young people coming to church.

[Tybee]

Pool time every day and socializing would send my mood skyrocketing! Winters here are definitely on the gloomy side. Like my granddaughter said yesterday, "I miss summer."