Connect with like minded people. Create community. Look into intentional communities. Volunteer. Educate others.

community

I am genuinely interested to know what this term means to you (and to any others who might like to add their thoughts).

I found a large group of like minded people who are all in a similar situation. We will create a self sufficient community loosely based on the modern intentional communities already in existence. It's a very popular phenomenon.

It's a very popular phenomenon

It is certainly very popular for people to believe that 'in the future' they are going to break way from the system.

It is the modern equivalent of Shell Beach. Everybody knows how to get there...

Not sure exactly what you're referring to, but many people are truly doing this, whether or not they are off grid. It's only logical.

I like Camus and his writings about the absurd - would recommend The Myth of Sisyphus.

Good One!

Watch the new episode of Rick and Morty. Ricklantis Mixup. It tackles this very subject

Been feeling like this myself lately, but I also don't want to upset my family. I hope you can find some comfort in this world, but I understand that it's not easy.

Carl Jung had something interesting to say about life and meaning.

It seems to me that it is our job, and our job only, to find meaning for ourselves in this existence.

For most people their meaning is given to them from a young age: you were born by accident, the result millions of years of evolution, and your purpose is to earn money, have a kid or two, and die.

A small group of people see through this nonsense, but are naturally left wanting something else. Hence the unbridled success of myriad 'movements', cults and, more lately, e-celebs and youtube 'truthers'.

If it makes you feel any better, most people today are depressed. Listen to them speak honestly for more than five minutes and they will tell you so themselves. Facebook and other shrines to the self are merely facades; we are surrounded by people who are desperate to keep that thin facade from cracking - because if it does, they fear they will, too.

If I may be so intrusive, I'd like to add to this an alternative perspective.

Yes, life is depressing. I read earlier that the total number of French deaths in WWII outnumbered every American casualty in every conflict the US participated in, including both sides of the civil war. That is a fundamentally depressing statistic, and indicative of the callousness towards the loss of human life even in recent history.

As long as you still have a free mind, you are able to channel your energies to any number of topics or ideas. To dwell on the negative to allow these evil forces to maintain control over you. If you disagree with the way the world works, introduce your own system through your all of your actions. To re-impliment Gandhi, be the change you wish to see in the world.

I've been through sexual abuse as a child, an autoimmune disease since early adulthood which has twice brought me to the verge of death. Life's been really tough at times, but the purpose of life isn't to dwell on the negative. The negative can give you the strength and inspiration to want to make a difference in this fucked up place.

Be a catalyst for all that is good. Use the occurrence of a negative to inspire a positive.

I don't know what others tell themselves about the meaning of life but i'm here to Do Something About It. I don't assume i'm here to have fun or that i'm entitled to enjoy myself, though it's always welcome when that happens.

Sounds like depression. Reality is what you make of it. If you want to look at everything as the glass half empty, then that is what it is.

If you think negative, then life reacts negative.

If you think positive, then life reacts positive.

You need to change whatever it is that is making you focus on the negative.

But sometimes, reality just sucks. And lying to yourself about that isn't really helpful toward fixing it

But, wallowing in misery is?

It's not about lying to yourself. It's about discovering what the problem is and improving it or changing it completely.

And it's a better alternative than wallowing in misery.

My wife and I feel the same, however we decided it would be best to stick it out and see how things end.

Nice grinder. Wanna come over and smoke some Ganj

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I work in a really neat place and enjoy my work.

Do you work for the FBI?

Nope. Do you?

Nope, I don't. Do you work for the CIA or any other governmental agencies in any capacity?

Nope. Closest thing I ever did with government was the EPA. That ended 2yrs ago.

Do tell.

What you want to know what I did? Started off doing chemistry, and eventually moved into IT and database. It wasn't anything particularly exciting.

How did you get involved with the EPA (ie. governmental)? Also, care to enlighten all about how you were groomed by a mod here, who turned themselves into the FBI? I'm a curious cat...

I've said enough. I'm not gonna invite the whole internet into my life jusy to assuage your insecurity.

Man, I've tried to stay out of it, but ever since u/mastigia became a mod, you've been on his ass low key badgering him almost non-stop. I've known him since before he was a mod. He is a good friend of mine IRL. I know his name, his employer's name, his wife, his cat's names, what kind of car he drives and that he sometimes runs barefoot to work and home everyday. He knows my name, my address, my wife's name and her occupation, etc. We are legitimate best friends. And quite frankly, I'm a little over seeing people attack him.

I know that he has had a rough fucking life, and has been clean and sober for some time now. He works his ass off, and then goes home to take care of his wife who has a life threatening illness, all while trying to clean this fucking place up.

Whatever you think he is, he isn't. Your paranoia concerning SC's endorsement of him has gotten the best of you.

SC also supported me becoming a mod, does that mean I'm nefarious now, too? I believe you know for a fact that isn't true.

Sorry Putes, I know you have your intuition and feelings, and I mean no disrespect, but you are flat out wrong here. End of story. Mastigia is one of the good guys, and I think your energy would be better spent interrogating one of the other 2-3 mods whom we all know aren't on the up and up.

Just tickle his butthole and say yea.

Yikes! I hear it is a veritable forest down there!

Jordan Peterson on why your life matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSZQjMesALM

Find jobs you like that pay less and just spend less (and have more time to do the things in life you enjoy). Stop buying useless crap and your Freedom & happiness will increase.

One shot yo - https://youtu.be/xFYQQPAOz7Y

You are right now between dust and dust. The only thing you have to fear is a certainty. Use your time and change the fucking world. What do you have to lose but your life?

Honestly man, I would love so much to have the perfect or even a really good answer for your post, which, generally is considered the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything right?

Meaning making, as someone above mentioned, is of course one of the most basic ephemeral truths (esoteric even, almost) from the natural material word to the spiritual, so we’ve got that as a good basis at least. An example is, I am going to make z no matter what x and y are, pretty powerful stuff in my own life, and documented elsewhere as potentially even having some mind over matter capabilities, ymmv however.

From there, we can go higher to God, our alien creator(s), or some other higher level evolutionary creating process (for whatever your definition may currently be) has also been pretty crucial for my own and others well being, it seems.

We can turn to the philosophical and virtually get lost in the abstract and purposeful, but rarely have I seen, are most capable or mindful enough to pull those thoughts down into the practical moment, so better left for entertainment during our curious sessions of meaning, I’d wager.

Solomons big lament was to be one knowing and serving God, of living life, making friends, and good wine, of course, but strikingly no actual mention of an eternal heavenly reward. So the journey appears to be the destination through his eyes.

The Sciences and Information theory offer an estimated to be unsolvable amount of activity, if that’s your thing, and as much as I love the Universe, everything about it even, those pursuits do seem somewhat soulless when you sleep alone at night.

The nihilistic among us would say there is no meaning at all, it’s the end of the world as I know it, and I feel fine, with a nod to wise men of Genesis.

An elect few, in deep confines, may speak of the Great Work and intergalactic level systems, but honestly, that’ll cost you the very humanity you see to seek, so potentially heavy to recommend that path...

My advice is, and what I’ve personally chosen to focus my life on after my own Solomonesque search is to shepherd appreciation, laughter, love, creativity, humanity, and kindness, to seek out those extremely rare moments when I disassociate and objectively look at a situation, even if God and I alone see it, to know, undeniably, through any amount of torture or hatred, that this shithole, as bad as it is, is actually a really amazing place, and that even through all the hostility and violence, I just helped the next guy go through the meat grinder a little bit easier.

For me, this place is like a love proving ground, it’s going to murder you in every way imaginable, sadistically so, if you try to love it, but it turns out, that’s exactly how you win.

Good luck.

Hey man. I know the feeling well.

I nearly drank myself to Oblivion and thought of ending it on multiple occasions, gazing into that abyss.

If you look at the world through that lens, departure seems like a good choice.

But there is good here, beauty and kindness too. You just have to put yourself in a position to see it. Feel it too.

If you're doing drugs, drinking, take a break.. (easy right?:)

Get out into nature.. away from the people..

Those things are working for me...

As for 'the point' of all this. Hah. Lots of people claim to know it... Maybe one will strike your fancy.

God speed.

the point is o decode reality. here would be nothing to do if things weren't hidden from us. start digging.

We can either unite and pummel down the cabal or we can wait until the pain is so bad, that it causes us to unite.

We have to run this world together. We can't juts give all the power to corrupt politicians. Once we run this world in cooperation, everything will be fine and dandy. We are living in artificial misery but it's artificial. It can be dumped but we gave all the power to people who created artificial misery so we have to take it back.

Basically, it's time to grow up and take control of ourselves.

We've all been there man, it's hard to keep two people in the same tune when you walk down this road. The world really gets you down. Required social interaction, required knowledge about pointless humans, required work, required TV shows. I broke three years ago. I quit eating meat, cheese, bread, stopped drinking and smoking pot. Started growing my own vegetables. It was through that simple fact of nurturing and creation that woke something in me. I started writing, reading, whenever my mind got foggy, I cleared it out. I stopped lying. Like, I just don't lie, which lead me to be accountable for my actions and just be better. This in turn changed the way I interacted with everyone and allowed me to surround myself with better people. I still stay up until 4am reading conspiracy theories occasionally, but for the most part I stopped hating everything around me, and just tuned out all the things designed to keep my complacent or stimulate a negative response.

So basically I turned off my tv and went outside.

Good luck man, I know you can do it. I have faith in you.

You don't need to work a job you don't like. Seriously. I'm not saying it's going to be easy but plenty people work in jobs they like or at least can tolerate. So set a (realistic) goal, then work towards getting there. Like playing chess. You have to line up all the pieces and then strike when the time is right, and you'll know when it is. It might take you a year or two to reach your goal, but it's totally possible.

After that you set a new goal. Rinse and repeat.

We are all cosmos

The point is to be happy and stay sane among the insane. It's a very hard task, but you gotta hold on and do whatever makes you happy. Stay away from therapists and other shit, they won't help you, they will only confuse you and do everything to keep your hands tied and your mouth shut.
Of course it would be easier just to jump off a bridge or something but then you will lose the game. It doesn't matter how bad things are you gotta fight and hold on. Be strong. Our time will come soon, just be true to yourself and don't let anyone push you off your tracks. Stay away from mainstream media, don't believe a word they say. Don't get engaged with politics and other stuff, they are only to distract and deceive you. You are watching a theater play to keep you busy from spiritual growth. By spiritual I don't mean religious, keep that in mind. I personally don't know any way to escape the shitty jobs and bills but you can fight for your own good and be happy. You have a right to live. We all have a right to live, but we have to fight for it. Only the strong will survive but if we have to fall then at least fall with glory and no regrets. It's a dark world but even a small candle can make some light.

You have the option to change your life, family, society if you want. You're here to be the doers. You're here to inspire others to take up the challenge to create a better world the people before you weren't able to create. There has never been a better time than this present moment when so many are connected. You are the clean up crew. Find what makes you happy, and let your light shine. It will inspire others to do the same. One at a time. Life isn't meant to be easy. Or you have the other option, but trust me it never ends.

Why do we work ourselves to death in jobs that we don't like, just to afford a house or apartment in a place we don't enjoy being in.

This is the very reason why I haven’t had a job in over 9 years.

I’m poor as hell and have to pinch pennies, but at least my soul’s not sucking itself dry working in a job I hate. I feel like I’ve been on a 9 1/2 year vacation thus far - and overall it’s been frickin’ great…at least compared to how I’d feel if I was working a shit 9-5 even if a steady paycheck were coming in. Fuck that. I want money, but not that bad.

Please anyone, we need some guidance.

Try to live as absolutely BELOW your means as possible and do with as little as you can financially. That way you can make what money you have stretch a lot longer and you don't have to remain chained to a slave job you hate and feel trapped in.

Maybe you could try to turn to the G-word

Speak out. Say your truths. Be the change you want to see.

Try to break free from the rat race, if you can find a way

Hey man keep holding on. I just found this piece of text someone wrote about 2000 years ago it's very relatable. Seriously I think this would really help if you're in an existential crisis. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1

Internal peace and happiness with yourself and who you are will trump material happiness all throughout your life. Find a way to be at peace and happy with your life in the moment.

"Evolution cannot avoid bringing intelligent life ultimately to an awareness of one thing above all else and that one thing is futility.

If people could see the world for what is truly is, see their lives for what they truly are without dreams and illusions, I don't believe they could offer the first reason why they should not elect to die as soon as possible.

Who would want this nightmare but for fear of the next."

That is from Sunset Limited

Tough post and really the heart of conspiracy IMO. The advice I have to give, and it's not a magic solution but in time it becomes more magical as you apply it Is this: choose your perception. We actually have very little control over what happens to us. However we 100% control how we choose to feel/react to a situation. There is good in literally every thing that happens to us. Find that good, see the good in it all. It may take days, weeks, or months to see the good but it is there. Through practice you will see the good more quickly and even opportunities that were shadowed before. Another important reaction trait that I've applied over the years is this: work on what you can change and let the rest go. We are all inundated with shit from all angles at all times. When I find myself getting anxious over something I ask myself, "can I effect change". If I can effect change I work to make it more to my liking. If I can't, I think about it, I focus on it and turn this "issue" in my mind formulating my own opinion on it and how it could affect me or my loved ones. I spend 5-10 minutes doing this. Once I do this, if I still cannot find a way to reasonably effect change, I let it go. I expend no more energy or emotion on it. You are an extremely powerful creature use your power to your benefit. Finally, get back to nature and journey inward. For example, I am a regular yoga practitioner. Learning to be calm and tranquil has been life changing for me. In addition, communing with the natural world is my ultimate reset button of choice. Personally, I choose to hunt and fish. It allows me to submerse myself in nature and become part of it again. Procuring healthy sustenance for my family gets me back to the basics of being a human being free from the contrived world we all live in. My advice is to practice the two methods described above and find your way to reconnect to being truly human again. Good luck.

Life is meaningless until we change the system.

Give up your bodies to the revolution. Digital Democracy or Death.