I think i am losing it?

Question

Lately i am just getting madder and madder and more distant, you could never tell because i always have a smile on my face but i' m hitting a wall...so many things p**s me off...we have become a country of apologist for every d**n Little thing. being politically correct can only go so far at this point. You have a holes that say drinking is a disease, drug addiction is a disease, being over weight is societies fault christ the list goes on...i am so scared that we have lost our identity as a nation and will sink lower.we have no culture , language or culture anymore

Answer 1

It is easy to get frustrated at the culture we live in, especially if one focuses on the negative aspects of it.  Unfortunately, there are a LOT of negative aspects, and focusing on all of them can be overwhelming; in fact, I have experienced the same problem before myself.

The way that I have dealt with it, which has been effective for me, has been to consciously try to be optimistic about things.  Not FALSELY optimistic (an important distinction) but instead by looking at the genuinely good things that can be seen.

For instance, in response to some of the things you said, here might be a more optimistic way to look at them:

1.) Apologists for Everything: Well, I guess this means that we are dedicated to our causes, and don't want to offend anyone in the process.  We may be better off with this system, at the very least it is easier to hold a civilized discussion about the pros and cons of things, without being rude or resorting to personal insults.  That's how real conversation happens, when the issues are discussed rather than focusing on personal attacks.

2.) Drinking as a Disease: Alcoholism is complicated, and involves both a heritable genetic component and a component of awareness/personal choice.  Our concepts of "fault" might be a bit outdated, but for now, it should suffice to say that while alcoholism may not be entirely under a person's control, their RESPONSE to that alcoholism is, and people should be respected and admired for admitting a weakness and seeking help for it.  They understand that they were harming themselves and others, and wish to change that.  This, to me, is admirable.

3.) I happen to agree a bit that the "societal influence" of weight-gain is overplayed, but as long as these people aren't bothering you, the best thing to do is to let it go and let it roll off your back.  It's not worth the stress and anger it will cause you if they're not harming you.

4.) As far as language and culture, our language and culture are changing and evolving just as they always have.  Every point in history as far back as the Greek philosophers have worried that the society they live in is degenerating morally and educationally, but we are still around and we have improved drastically in both education and morality.  Slavery is gone, we have a precisely codified language, we understand impressive principles of physics and biology, we can save lives with our medicine, and we have a moral, evidence-based method of applying that medicine.

Yes, looked at in some ways, the world can be seen as a downward spiral.  However, we're still around today after millenia of people thinking we were doomed.  Our life expectancy and our morality of behavior towards each other has improved in the long run, and while it's not perfect yet, we're working on it.  It's a lot more pleasing and comforting to look at the world in terms of the good we've done, and try to add to that good, rather than focus on the negatives.  I think it might be able to help you; it helped me.

Answer 2

Don't let them drag you down. Let that small light of hope guide you. Good luck my friend.

Answer 3

You have not actually told anyone what country you are in..

Anyway... I feel exactly the same way and don't know what to do either (well, the first part, not the second, about identity of the nation etc) Maybe you would consider moving to another country?? I just try to ignore it. It's weird. I hate the sheeple but they seem to be the people actually dealing with life better than me.. so maybe plain ignorance is the way to go.. for the sake of our mental health...