Hey, thank you @robot_dog_with_gun@hexbear.net and Alaskaball! This is a list I slapped together in a couple minutes and is incredibly reductive. Something like “protect the LGBT” is certainly non-exhaustive and capable of being articulated much more cogently. In particular, if you broke down the dem’s failings for “social issues” like these you’d get to the heart of why people writ large are disillusioned. Others like defund the police might make a platform if you said that the money was going towards things that are awesome instead without sacrificing safety (on the contrary, long and short term ability to effect the root of suffering/crime). Finally, one might also organize the list so it’s not 2 streams of consciousness mushed together (articulating Palestine in 2024 and then “stop war” decidedly before things popped off on October 7th). The purpose was to illustrate the argument exactly as robot did, that there’s a long list of issues that tend to get memory holed. So when a blue MAGA’s eyes glaze over when you try to explain that genocide is the thing that makes Hitler so bad and THEN they wave away a list of other things dems aren’t doing then you really get a full picture of how little they desire to listen to you/help with effectual change.

If anyone decides to append/edit the list don’t even credit me. I’m not but a poster. Just remember

“Glorified Pokemon snap with rougelike elements. Fix your dogshit game, Nintendo”

1. gratitude is very important

Not just existentially for a chance at being, but just muster as much of it as you can for the people around you, for every kindness shared with you, and for the beauty you get to experience. Even for bad shit that teaches you a lesson you can say thank you. It’s literally free.

2. helping others

If your own shit is fucked, you might get a little humility, space, and grace by thinking about others. Check in on your friends, find an opportunity to volunteer, donate if it’s in the cards for you.

3. hydrate and get enough sleep

When in doubt, these two might help

4. spend some time in nature

It should feel good to do this, so I wouldn’t prescribe an amount of time, but at least 30 minutes of touching grass

After you have those four settled, I think it’s worthwhile to start thinking about how you put your life together. In my mind, if you reach for things that resonate with you and you pursue it by doing things that you enjoy, you’ll maximize your enjoyment, miss out on things that aren’t for you, and meet the right people along the way. The consequences of your actions aren’t permanent for you, sure, but if you live authentically and kindly, you’ll affect others positively so that they’ll have a better trip hurdling through space. Being as joyful as possible will have costed you nothing to help and, on the contrary, gotten you as close as possible to having your struggles be worthwhile.

I suppose I just spend less time thinking and more time feeling - smoking life like a loose cigarette from God on a balcony overlooking meaningless and the void. Alan Watts has a very romantic view of being the universe observing itself that never quite landed for me, but you should check out his lectures. They’re very entertaining while being existential. Eckhart Tolle is a and is a little more self-helpy, but is still a fantastic source of knowledge about ceasing to create your own unhappiness.