The real reason we aren't panicking about global collapse: We are stuck in a "Liquid Dream".
Posted by lueyk@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 119 comments
Has anyone else noticed how surreal the news cycle feels right now? The US president just openly talked about wiping a whole civilization off the map, and nobody is mobilizing. No protests, no panic. We are literally watching the geopolitical order break down in 4K while eating breakfast.
I wrote an article trying to explain the mechanics of why we are like this right now. It's not just "compassion fatigue." It's structural.
Taking some cues from sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, I argue that AI and informational capitalism created a "Liquid Dream." We spend 90% of our time in a frictionless digital world where you can swipe away anything that bothers you. Because of that, we've completely lost the mental muscle to deal with the heavy, solid reality of physical consequences. We process the apocalypse the same way we process a Netflix show cancellation.
I go way deeper into how the end of ownership, AI data extraction, and this "digital dualism" melted our reality. If you're into the theory behind the psychological collapse of society, give it a read: https://medium.com/@lueyfk/the-liquid-dream-how-informational-capitalism-melted-reality-and-what-it-tells-us-about-the-end-580df4b78758
Do you guys think there's any way to "wake up" from this, or is the global population just permanently sedated at this point?
datadrone@reddit
Part of me wants us to go extinct, I know if everything does go pear shaped the super elites will huddle in their billion dollar cave systems, I just hope the air filters were inspired by AI so they all sufficate
Mostest_Importantest@reddit
The best projected research I read says that the environment on earth will largely be so toxic from our methane, co2, plastics, etc., along with the excess heat from the warming, that only creatures cat sized and smaller will be able to survive.
So if you were hoping for that outcome, there's more than a mild possibility that it'll come to pass.
It's as good areason to smile today as any reason.
croppkiller@reddit
If humans are still around at all we'll probably shrink to Homo floresiensis sizes to deal with lack of food and heat dispersal. We'll turn into bloody Hobbits.
tyler98786@reddit
We're only a decade away right?
Mostest_Importantest@reddit
Some 200 years or so. For the remaining ~50 million survivors from us 8 billion.
The decade away is the beginning of the reduction from 8 billion towards that remainder. 50 million is wild speculation from me.
It's gonna make today's troubles seem like pudding.
chefkoolaid@reddit
Yes I ve been saying we should turn the planet over to cats. Sorry dogs Youre good but not as cute.
KarlMarxButVegan@reddit
I'm a dog person myself. I live in South Florida and yeah the dogs are already too hot sometimes.
ApplesBananasRhinoc@reddit
We can only hope karma comes in the form of some cut rate temu air filters.
SecretArgument4278@reddit
What are you personally doing?
What do you expect/ask others to do that isn't already being done?
traumfisch@reddit
OP is writing about the phenomenon to spark discussion
SecretArgument4278@reddit
Ahhh yes. I wonder if there are other ways to continue to spark further discussion... like a probing question intended to get a deeper understanding and challenge preconceptions, perhaps?
traumfisch@reddit
by leaving cynical reddit messages?
hard to say what this is supposed to accomplish except waste my time
SecretArgument4278@reddit
... i mean... you could try just answering the questions...
I didn't think "What are you doing?" Or "what suggestions do you have for things you'd like to see people do" was that cryptic, but what have you.
traumfisch@reddit
jeez 🙄
High_Pains_of_WTX@reddit
Can you imagine a group of modern day Luddites who literally just run up to you, yank your phone and destroy it in front of you while yelling at you to wake up?
On the one hand, my life is on my phone and I would be both frightened and infuriated, and would start swinging. On the secondhand... mood?
Mikaeel_M@reddit
The trick wasn't hiding the collapse — it was making the present just comfortable enough that processing bad news felt optional. That's not a liquid dream, that's just a very successful distraction machine running exactly as intended.
Armouredmonk989@reddit
By the time we all wake up it will be too late he'll it's too late now damage has been done the planet is failing that's what I'm worried about. We'll not worried either way we are cooked so I try to live in the moment.
errie_tholluxe@reddit
I'm not worried about it anymore as far as global collapse is concerned. At this point that's a gimme. My concern is for all those whose lives will be absolutely horrid as it takes place. And there is really nothing I can do about it.
citrus_sugar@reddit
Yeah, I’m glad I’m older and at least lived my life and have fun; now just here for the show.
killallhumans12345@reddit
I think a lot of the population is in the same boat, I just worry about these kids.
HunkMcMuscle@reddit
I'm in my early 30s and honestly, I've been checked out since my 20s. I'm just glad I don't have kids to add into this shitshow
collapse-ModTeam@reddit
Rule 2: Posts and comments which appear to be marketing, self-promotion, surveys, astroturfing, or other forms of spam will be removed.
Self-promotion or surveys of value to the community may be allowed on a case-by-case basis, if the moderation team is informed first via mod mail.
ManufacturerWild430@reddit
Sort of but not really. I ignored the situation because Trump never follows through with anything. His truth posts are for market manipulation.
We're already in collapse. It's just a slow and painful drip drip drip vs the kaboom most folks imagine it being like.
traumfisch@reddit
Yeah but
he is openly threatening to commit massive war crimes
and he is supposed to be the president
ManufacturerWild430@reddit
Water is wet. Add it to the list of things he isn't supposed to do.
traumfisch@reddit
See? He's got a free pass now
ManufacturerWild430@reddit
Baby he's had a free pass. He's going to continue to pillage the system until and if the other party can get out of their completely anemic state of being and actually do something. But don't hold your breath.
traumfisch@reddit
I can't read the essay. Too allergic to the LLM templates
eddyg987@reddit
"The brave die, the smart go crazy, and the world remains full of happy fools” I’ve gone crazy, now I’m just tired and don’t see any sense in putting my neck. I was thinking today about the administration being a mirror our the median American, devoid of any spiritual and emotional maturity.
Unlikely_Purple3113@reddit
This is so true. I think most schools around the world don’t reward intelligence and courage, they reward obedience and conformity.
Long-Impression-5119@reddit
Here is my part of dissolving the liquid dream: The Exit Ramp We're Not Talking About
breinbanaan@reddit
We will keep going until there is no food or water at the moment we live in day to day live. If there is no concrete danger of our survival we will keep going. The scale of the issue is too large to comprehend unfortunately.
Orb-of-Muck@reddit
Here's a reminder you're a human being and can just not keep going.
breinbanaan@reddit
What do you mean?
Orb-of-Muck@reddit
We are not automata. We are not forced to seek our own benefit or survival at all costs. We can give our last meal to the young, plant trees for someone else to enjoy, waste energy dancing for no reason at all.
friendsandmodels@reddit
If you give your last meal away, you literally cant keep going after that
KerouacsGirlfriend@reddit
Exactly; they said we aren’t forced to seek our own survival, and can choose another’s survival over our own
friendsandmodels@reddit
Well but even then you really got no choice or? The body will continue moving until you die, not like you starve immadiately after giving your last meal
breinbanaan@reddit
You are right man. But I don't think plenty of people are not that altruistic. I wish we all were, it would solve 80 percent of the issues.
HommeMusical@reddit
I protested for decades in America.
But a "protest" with a permit that inconveniences no one is a parade.
More, people don't take it seriously; it undermines everything. All those penis costumes, stupid puppets and "Sluts against Trump" signs - it's like a big party.
Now I live in France. When we moved in, the people who sold us this little old house (costing far less than a parking spot in New York City!) apologized, because in the previous week, demonstrators had taken the garbage can to use as a barricade in a demonstration. (The city gives out garbage cans for free, it wasn't a hassle.)
The fundamental blame rests with the DNC who are uninterested in resisting Fascism, but are laser-focused on crushing any hint of leftism in their party.
America is in its moment of greatest crisis, and what are the DNC's leaders doing? Schumer is only interested in Israel; Pelosi in stock trading; Obama in his Presidential library; Bill is posting about sports, and HRC is gloating.
(If it weren't for AOC, Bernie, Mamdani and a few others, I'd give up America more than I already have.)
old-legs-623@reddit
Yes, when the Rs captured labor they captured the future. General strikes to be effective require a majority of blue collar buy-in. Anything less is students and us old ladies risking being kettled. I do recommend joining co-ops, especially food system ones, but that's about all I can think of that's, shall we say, less depressing.
mousebluud@reddit
Great synthesis of surveillance capitalism, enshittification and our lived daily lives. I like the concept that technology is causing a loss of friction in daily life and that contributes to us treating the physical world as disposable.
There’s a quote I think about a lot that meshes nicely with this essay:
“Does one need to smell a flower more quickly or more efficiently?”
I’m not sure where I got it from, but I think about it all the time. In our quest to make things easy, to make them efficient, to make them profitable, we have lost the essence of those things.
squeezemachine@reddit
I may borrow that quote when arguing about the use of AI in the arts. AI is almost always a threat but it is especially egregious when it is used for human artistic endeavors. Like, isn’t art the pinnacle of being a human, why outsource that?
KerouacsGirlfriend@reddit
That’s a great quote
drakekengda@reddit
'Flood the zone with shit' is an explicit tactic of the Trump administration. If an otherwise respectable president would have claimed to bomb Iran back to the stone Age, here in Europe we would have talked about it extensively. Now it's just another 'what has he done now' thing. And that's exactly what they want: get everyone overwhelmed with the amount of shit they're throwing around, so that there's little focused resistance against the important things
Specialist_Ant116@reddit
No we wouldn't. They bombed the crap out of Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq too, and the level of destruction was far more than what happend in Iran.
You remember they fked Yugoslavia too, don't you? Your country was probably helping them doing it too. You guys are acting that he's the worst president because he's loud? He's just another PUPPET like the rest of them, but really loud. Do we like Obama because he was presentable in public and committing war crimes in Afghanistan in his free time? Why isn't everybody so damn critical with the rest? Because you guys think that the left or the right are different, truth is, your country goes to war regardless. Wanna change the country? Change the Deep State maybe, the person that s changing every 4 years I highly doubt that he has any power
drakekengda@reddit
I'm confused whether or not you're suggesting I'm from the US, but regardless: yes, other US presidents have done bad things as well, but the number of different hings one can feel outraged about is particularly high with this one
Specialist_Ant116@reddit
I'm not suggesting, I even said that your country (european) was probably helping USA and others destroy Yugoslavia and other countries in the Middle East. Can't play the good guys now just because the orange guy is too loud.
The number of what is particularly high? He removed that a-hole president from Venezuela for USA's personal goal, threatened the sovereignty of Greenland, imposed tariffs, and attacked Iran. Standard USA behavior if you ask me.
What you guys are missing is the bigger picture, was there a time that USA was in peace? No. Why? It's profitable. Gonna keep on happening as long as the Federal Reserve prints to fuel wars, meaning citizens pay for it with inflation 🤷🏻♂️. Who wins? Blackrock/Vanguard. Who wins? Other corps depending on the conflict. Who wins? Politicians and private contractors through money laundering and influence. Come on, guys, the world is not black and white, the world is rotten and twisted and you are acting like that's not the standard.
You think the European Union is clean? UK? China? Russia? According to you, who are the good guys, huh? The lesser evil? The good guys are rotting in jail or they are decomposing 6 feet below ground, but you never heard of them anyway because it's not on the mainstream news ( I wonder why)
Democracy is just like communism, only works on paper until you introduce the human element, after that, all theory goes to the gutter. You wanna put the blame on 1 guy? Go ahead, won't change the system, and after he's gone, they gonna find another scapegoat so you can complain about while the world continues its destructive path.
drakekengda@reddit
You seem to straw man a black/white way of thinking, which I didn't espouse. I'm saying there were bad things done by others, and Trump is doing more bad things faster
HommeMusical@reddit
Or this: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/06/we-now-know-the-full-extent-of-obamas-disastrous-apathy-toward-the-climate-crisis
Or this: https://archive.thinkprogress.org/obamas-worst-speech-ever-we-ve-added-enough-new-oil-and-gas-pipeline-to-encircle-the-earth-e5e24a156910/
Or warrantless assassinations of US citizens, etc etc.
Obama was a bad President, but he was bookended by two incredibly horrible Presidents, far worse than he, so he looks good by comparison.
Konradleijon@reddit
Blame the rise of capitalism and stimulaicra
KerouacsGirlfriend@reddit
Great word, simulaicra
Decent-Box-1859@reddit
I personally don't think the world will comprehend the enormity of collapse until about 2070. The collective denial can last a long time.
danknerd@reddit
Everything is temporary though.
KarlMarxButVegan@reddit
I really think it's less that we don't see it/don't care about it and more that we know there is nothing we can do to change anything. Even more importantly, we know if we don't go to work we will be homeless and have no way to pay for our asthma inhaler/insulin/whatever healthcare we and our family members require.
The system is supposed to be we each go to work and do the job we are skilled to do. We have career politicians. They are supposed to keep the sociopath from having the nuclear football. We've kept to our side of the agreement, but our government is a failure.
Fluffy-Dog5264@reddit
That was really beautiful, Chat.
Now, If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go cry in the woods.
Fluffy-Dog5264@reddit
Could you save me the effort and point me to the sections you actually wrote?
gnarzilla69@reddit
no dude what do you expect people to do when the crazy old man is screaming racist profanaties again? it doesnt mesn people dont care or dont notice, it means weve all seen similar veins from the old hag before and have to just continue on with our lives, because we are still here after all the crazy sheet hes said and we still have bills to pay, with mich less money then we had before.
Pretend-Bat9620@reddit
The entire premise of your post is wrong. There have been regular No Kings protests in the United States by people who foresee the malice. You are free to join them.
Please do not spread misinformation and lies.
Poon-Conqueror@reddit
You're joking, right? What have those 'protests' accomplished? I'm not showing up to a Reddit protest organized by a mildly displeased billionaire. She doesn't want actual change, otherwise that might actually affect her extremely comfortable and opulent lifestyle, nor does she wish for her protests to apply any real force, because she doesn't want to risk said lifestyle by actually threatening or offending Trump.
We need protests from folks with nothing to lose, not billionaires with everything to lose. It's pure ego, a trip to the park they can smugly pat themselves on the back over. The only acknowledgement Trump has given these protests is that of ridicule, and if millions of people can't even offend the most thin skinned and egotistical 'leader' on the planet, you're not doing much.
Protests don't need to be violent to be effective, they don't even need to break the law, but they DO need to be disruptive, something these Reddit protests go out of their way NOT to be.
Comfortably-Numb2026@reddit
Who is this billionaire ?
vagabond_primate@reddit
Yes, the largest protest in US history, so I read. However, as well intentioned as those protests are, what are they doing to change anything? I am old enough to remember Vietnam protests. I was a young kid, but I remember how that actually changed policy. There were a lot of other protests back then. Things changed. Now, protests are like IG posts. Sure, at a mass scale, but they don’t really do much to change things. I’m not saying they are a waste of time, but agreeing with OP’s point. The vast majority of people are not moved by the protests. I guess we’ll see in November.
Poon-Conqueror@reddit
That's because those protests actually disrupted something. The Civil Rights protests disrupted segregation, and Vietnam War protests disrupted conscription.
The best protestors are those with nothing to lose, the No Kings protest is organized by a billionaire with everything to lose. She isn't going to risk compromising her extremely comfortable life by actually disrupting and offending Trump.
lueyk@reddit (OP)
That’s a fair point, and I have massive respect for the people organizing and attending the No Kings protests. I’m not saying literal zero resistance exists. But my point is about the macro scale of the reaction. Historically, a world leader threatening to wipe out an entire civilization would bring global society to a screeching halt. Today, while some are bravely protesting, the vast majority of the population is still just doing business-as-usual and scrolling past the news. The scale of the outcry doesn't match the scale of the threat.
Bormgans@reddit
Any historical examples of society halting screechingly after a world leader threatening to wipe out a civilization? I can´t think of any.
Beneficial_Table_352@reddit
My feeling about this in general is that we need mass strikes for a prolonged period of time. Not one day of protest. As meaningful and inspiring as they are. Unless we completely disrupt the machinery of Capital and bring the mechanisms of the global financial system to a halt nothing will really change.
mom_with_an_attitude@reddit
The problem is that most people cannot afford to strike for a long time. They have us by the short and curlies.
Eager_PurpleOverdose@reddit
There has been protests since last year yet nothing has changed. It just has gotten worse. I'm sorry if I sound cynical but I don't see how people going to a parade once a month is gonna fix anything, if either way they're going back to work tomorrow.
Beneficial_Table_352@reddit
This. We must use the last tool at our disposal- labor. We must strike en mass
Ok-Zookeepergame5245@reddit
Exactly, we need global general strikes if we really want to make a difference.
discharge-rorshack@reddit
How is attending a police sanctioned parade gonna hanger things?
Cultural-Answer-321@reddit
This. There are protests all over the world against tyranny, war and global warming.
All the time.
Pretend-Bat9620@reddit
There are protests in Israel against the war in Gaza. Even as people demonize Israelis.
There are no Kings Protests in the United States. Even as people demonize Americans.
The list goes on.
The people working on making their country better instead of opposing their views on other countries are the ones who effect real, positive change.
Protests stopped war in 1968.
me-need-more-brain@reddit
That´s why reddit killed r/all, too much information from outside the bubble.
i was appaled trying to open it lately and gotb to a homefeed, which io never use, because it´s the same old stuff, i wanna learn new things.
It also destroys connection between people so it´s harder to organize, when all bubbles are disconnected.
haram_halal@reddit
Well, ZDF, german state media just announced to follow Trumps sanctions and not to be involved with people or organisations on the list (nobinterviews etc.).
That's quite an obvious reaction, just not a good one.
systematk@reddit
It sounds to me like you are referring to hyper normalization. It's basically the idea of having so much atrocity it is normalized to the point of it being no longer outrageous, and people don't even flinch or react to it anymore. There is a growing awareness in the US as we've seen more people engaged in protest activities, but largely the public is business as usual.
FeintLight123@reddit
As my friend who despises “politics” would say; there’s literally nothing any of us can do to change jack shit so who gives a fuck, why even talk about it.
irpugboss@reddit
This is actually false though.
There are plenty of things to do, its just safe and cozy ignoring the work that can be done.
FeintLight123@reddit
I agree, grass root movements, protest, unions, it all comes from the little guys banding together for change. But playing the devil’s advocate here; realistically in this modern era, the impact we have is greatly diminished. At times I tend to more agree that there is little we can do to bring about any meaningful change.
systematk@reddit
I actually 1000% disagree with you beyond the grass roots part of what you said. If everyone just shuts their mouths and goes on about their own life, then change is impossible. If the majority are up in arms and vocalizing and normalizing public discontent, then movement is created.
If people do not vocalize discontent loudly and consistently, then everyone just assumes that they as individuals must be overreacting to the situation as no one else is engaging. Words unspoken are words unheard. It's actually called pluralistic ignorance. The good people on this planet lose because we often take the stance that someone else will fix it, or because 'i'm just one person and have no impact', whereas the smaller group of people with individualistic ideals is willing to always pursue their objectives and push their narratives far and wide.
specialsymbol@reddit
You know it's just talk by him. He's a big mouth. That's all. No substance.
BuffMcBigHuge@reddit
Great read. Thanks. Democratic solidity is the dream. It starts with your local community.
HomoExtinctisus@reddit
Yeah cause a whole bunch of people behaving in a manner that satisfies the desire of the crowd is exactly how we solve this predicament.
Forzahorizon555@reddit
”We” aren’t panicking because we are collapse aware. Most of us on r/ collapse have already gone through the stages of grief.
We’ve reached the final stage of grief… acceptance.
Void_of_a_Writer01@reddit
The reason we don’t care is because there’s now nothing we can do to stop it. Assuming nuclear war doesn’t reset the human-world population entirely by ~2032, a new study has found that we are well past Earth’s biological limit. It’s because of this I’m under the impression that the best thing humanity can do is erase 80% of itself before the human’s greed & depravity guarantees a 100% biodiversity loss.
If we were actually worthy of our own existence, we would’ve acted like Stewards instead of parasites. It’s because of this that we are fundamentally unworthy of our own existence.
grassy_trams@reddit
we will see action take place when it actually hits the west
tyler98786@reddit
What do you mean by this?
Specialist_Ant116@reddit
It means we still got our beers and football matches, some snacks, a TV, electricity yada yada.
tyler98786@reddit
Thanks.
RunYouFoulBeast@reddit
Nah , as long as one is winning and showing everyone who are the "boss", most human will follow him , it just need to be portraited as there is great benefit behind the decision , people will just accept it.
Liquid Dream been always is.
That's why it's Win , win , WIN! Absulately winning.
mom_with_an_attitude@reddit
What do you mean no protests? There have been numerous No Kings protests. An estimated eight million showed up all across the country at the last one on March 28.
I was there. Were you?
discharge-rorshack@reddit
What did the parade change?
mom_with_an_attitude@reddit
What does staying home and doing nothing change.
Protests foster community. Protests help spark connections between like minded people. Protests let me know that I am not alone; and that there are many people who are feeling the way I am feeling about this current administration. Protests garner headlines. Protests can help shift public opinion. And, sometimes, protests help bring about change.
Protests against the Vietnam War helped to end that war. Protests for civil rights helped to dismantle Jim Crow laws and get federal anti-discrimination laws passed.
So, y'know, stay home and denigrate protestors all you want. As for me, I'll be out there making my voice heard and fighting the good fight in any way that I can, however insignificant. My conscience demands it.
Suspicious-Willow720@reddit
Yeah... about all that, you're only looking at one part of what made those changes possible and completely ignoring all the violence that made political action preferable to the status quo. Don't get me wrong, the protests made a difference, but without the violence that was happening simultaneously, which gets glossed over in history classes, no amount of marches would have made a lick of difference.
The problem is that these days, it probably isn't possible to replicate their results because the current surveillance state makes organized resistance exponentially harder.
I'll stop here because saying any more will probably get this deleted.
Consistent-Risk-7802@reddit
Beautifully said. If you haven't read it, I think you'd like Rebecca Solnit's Hope in the Dark (or any of her other books). The Epstein class don't want us out protesting, connected, supporting each other, and shining our light into their dark places. They want us scared, disconnected, purchasing, grinding, and doomscrolling.
tyler98786@reddit
I mean leave the rest but I'll be grinding the days away until this ship has sank. I'll be damned if I let the state of the world prevent me from enjoying my last days on earth. Which, the way things are looking, isn't too many of those left.
mom_with_an_attitude@reddit
Truth.
Schapsouille@reddit
Ironically it's staying home and doing nothing that would actually have an impact. But Americans and their capitalism brain can't fathom a sustained general strike.
mom_with_an_attitude@reddit
We can fathom it. We just can't afford it.
Schapsouille@reddit
Your techno overlords made it clear that they don't need nor want you to make it. It's just a matter of time before you lose your jobs anyway. Especially with the petrodollar having been obliterated. I hope the gas shortage will sway some of you into action, gas is the only thing that seems to federate.
Emil01d@reddit
Maybe do it again but on a weekday?
JeletonSkelly@reddit
Because it's not a real protest with any teeth or action. It's a parade of signs and costumes with people taking selfies. Protests in other countries have teeth; they block buildings, roads, transport, services.
Fit_Peach-@reddit
I feel like im panicing
Someguy14201@reddit
buddy, it's called acceptance. Acceptance that shit is fucked and moving on with your day.
No_Delivery_1049@reddit
Has there ever been a time in the past where you would have expected a different reaction?
I suggest that for the majority of people, throughout the ages, are just trying to live their life.
I think you’d be surprised at the number of people who don’t read the news.
We’ve evolved to be able to comprehend close relationships with about 8-10 people and understand dynamics of groups in the first person but beyond about 100 people our brains can’t really cope.
urnotjustwrong@reddit
Are you tryna say lucid dream...?
urlach3r@reddit
Would like to read this, but on the Android app it's in Portuguese with no translation available. Weird glitch.
chamferbit@reddit
There is a link to an article in the middle. In English.
urlach3r@reddit
K, there's usually a translate button on the app. Header is English, text body is Portuguese, edit at the bottom is back to English. App be cray cray some days.
Motherboy_TheBand@reddit
https://youtu.be/u7RPvOOjCvE?si=IWMxlh7DrqJFhvC6
lueyk@reddit (OP)
I never thought a 2000s boyband would be the official soundtrack to the end of the world, but here we are.
Motherboy_TheBand@reddit
FWIW O-Town was scheduled to play a concert in NYC ON Sept 11 2001
Ok-Zookeepergame5245@reddit
Unfortunately the majority of the population are too sedated and docile so they will only react when we have fully reached Mad Max levels of collapse but we are already more than half way there now and by the time that we are fully there, it will be too late.
hotdogjumpingfrog1@reddit
Naw. It’s consumerist complacency.
_SB1_@reddit
No, everyone is so consumed with themselves, and their daily routine, they don't have time to consider anything else
Purely modern selfishness and arrogance
mom_with_an_attitude@reddit
The fuck. It has nothing to do with selfishness. Our lives are consumed with work because we are trying to stay one step ahead of the wolves. I have to work to pay rent, pay for groceries and pay for my kids' education. I protest when I can. But most of the time, I work.
This is by design, btw. It's not that Americans don't care. It's that the ruling class makes sure we stay paycheck-to-paycheck so we stay controlled. People with too much free time on their hands are dangerous.
UnraveledShadow@reddit
Thank you. I guess you can say some people are selfish, but I feel like a lot of people are just trying to get by.
Personally, I got laid off and scraped by doing freelance work for a year and a half. I worked longer hours, made very little money and spent my “free time” trying to find work. And I had to fully pay my own taxes and health insurance.
I now have a full time job again, but everything is so damn precarious. I’m terrified of getting laid off again and being in a worse position than before.
So yeah, to the outside world it looks like I’m just going about my day. But I have to because I’m not in a position to risk it. It’s not selfish to want a place to live and food to eat.
discharge-rorshack@reddit
And what are you doing?
floridamanconcealmnt@reddit
good post