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I still have residual trauma from thinking about global catastrophes all day (nukes, pandemics, etc) during my Effective Altruism movement-building stint.I would be grateful for advice with this. See below for my write-up of the problem. https://t.co/47DZNEJFkf
@TylerAlterman I empathize and had a similar problem for a while (existential pessimism) Two major things to cultivate: 1. Focus on the things you love. (this means muting the things that trigger pessimism, cynicism, critique, anger, fear). Spend more time w/ the doers, not the doomers.
@TylerAlterman (more on this) The story of Oedipus comes to mind as ancient wisdom. Even if you believe you can see fate -- focusing all your energy on moving AWAY from that fate instead of TOWARD some positive vision seems somehow to bring fate closer, and with even more dread.
@TylerAlterman Notice the difference between @visakanv's two domino memes: https://t.co/g7s8e7o1qC Which world are we living in? (the "truth" is probably both -- dominos could always cascade in either direction) But which inspires you to make your best art, to fight your best fight?
few people know that my original dominos meme was actually a pessimistic, cynical one i am a much more pessimistic and cynical person that i present to the world I don't typically share this bc I choose to focus on what I want to see more of https://t.co/kY5eCSkNfD
@TylerAlterman @visakanv 2. (this is more controversial) I stopped taking life so seriously. Are the stakes so big? One part nihilism, two parts love, passion, and creativity. We're all going to die. We're all going to suffer. It's kind to postpone or reduce those, but does it matter in the big pic?
@TylerAlterman @visakanv The answer is yes. It matters, but does it matter that much? Yes. But come on, don't you think this is all a little funny, at least? "Silly, radical earth species fights against death" would make a good web comic. There's a joke somewhere in all this... https://t.co/DIXmF95qJQ
@TylerAlterman I empathise. I don't have solutions except that if a friend came to me with this problem I'd tell them they were lived and valuable regardless, but I don't talk to myself that way. I asked a question on the forum related to this, answers here https://t.co/TZALrrQv0p
@TylerAlterman https://t.co/a2WeACw1wd
@TylerAlterman Meditate to the point of not caring and become a utility zombie? https://t.co/J6qSbrgNOQ
@TylerAlterman no matter what happens, there will always be a story of life with heroism left in it, until the bitter end; there’s many ways to effect the story of life to the positive. just work on yourself, and be a mensch to your friends, & you will have a surplus of opportunity