Well, I feel better already. Reading this headline makes me want to google the song and listen to it.

You should, check out handlebars also and really anything by them is good.

Lol, it's all good. Check this out for reddit formatting hints.

Great band

soooo... this has nothing to do with Stephanie Courtney fans?

bots of Flo.

not even close to There is a war going on for your mind

Helps you what?

Don't look for things to help you feel "good" or "better" if that's what you're meaning or trying to do.

Things aren't good on this planet/in this country. The sooner we fess up to it and take responsibility for it without trying to find some sort of way to "feel better" about it, the sooner we'll be able to understand exactly what it is we really have to do in order to help ourselves out of the mess that we're in.

All this is to say don't worry about "trying to perk yourself up." When the world sucks as bad as this one does, there's really nothing to perk yourself up about aside from just working hard toward improving things.

It's like if you keep getting Fs in a class. Don't worry about trying to "perk yourself up" about it. Worry about hitting the books and studying your ass off. That's what'll help you.

Anything else that you think is "helping" you is really little more than a temporary, superficial, "ephemeral fix" - and that really doesn't fix anything at all in the long run.

Hunker down and work. That's what'll fix things. Nothing else'll do it.

The only reason I started posting on this forum, or anything, this is the first. Is to give jaded and negative people/robots/shills the benefit of my experience.

How trite and simple-minded - to imply that one having a certain type of perspective means that they are "jaded and negative"; to think that your experience is something one would necessarily "benefit" from. Ma gavte la nata.

Your even beginning this diatribe in the manner that you did shows that you yourself are far greater removed from the statement in your own OP than you might think.

Feel bad or good. Your choice.

Tell that to a starving homeless person and then get back to me.

It affects me after a fashion but it affects you significantly more.

You'd have to explain this further if you wish it to be better understood. Otherwise, meh.

Yes, this country, I assume America looks kinda bleak. The world will be okay.

Of course it will.

anything in the spirit of good and positivity has effects beyond the time and energy to do the thing itself.

Of course it does.

Work hard. We have the means, tools, and wherewithal to make anything we want. It just depends, on what we want. Who is willing to work for it.

Correct enough.

You understand that in this situation OP is trying to bring people up and you are trying to bring people down. Even if what you think you're doing is enlightening people, you're being negative, and that's not the way to do it.

You understand that in this situation OP is trying to bring people up and you are trying to bring people down.

And you must understand that supposedly "bringing people up" at the possible expense of not paying attention to certain necessary things that should actually be payed attention to is in all reality not bringing anyone "up" at all. If you want to get on the "don't be a party pooper, man!" bandwagon and say that I'm "bringing people down" by pointing out the actual reality and nuts and bolts of a situation...then okay. Meh. It's the equivalent of getting upset because I'm making a kid eat their veggies and do their home work before letting them even think about downing some candy and ice cream. Again, meh.

Even if what you think you're doing is enlightening people, you're being negative, and that's not the way to do it.

And I'm being "negative" in what manner, exactly? By letting it be known that being a "shiny happy person" and having a "great attitude about things!" isn't going to keep TPTB from locking you up or shooting you the fuck down? Really? Wow. Okay.

I'd prefer an inconvenient (or even painful) truth to a shiny, happy lie any day - and even though I'm not saying OP is "lying to people" (not at all, actually), it seems to me that now in this day and age is not really the best time to think that things are getting all the much better in this country unless we pull up our bootstraps as a citizenry and take a serious look at the ills that have been effecting us for long generations past.

I hear what you're saying but you can't forget to enjoy life.

Very well-said. I don't disagree with that. I just think it's important to have an understanding of just how absolutely real and ongoing is the difficulty many people face on this planet every day.

Powerful post that still completely disregards the human spirit, the primate brain, and the need for positivity. You won't change my mind on this.

Powerful post that still completely disregards the human spirit

It is in all actuality the human spirit that has the capability and capacity to understand just how focused one should be and can be where it regards overcoming the monumental obstacles which have overshadowed the majority of human life on this planet.

You are completely mistaken if you think that the above sentiment was in any way "disregarding the human spirit". It was as a matter of fact actually doing the exact opposite thing.

the primate brain, and the need for positivity. You won't change my mind on this.

And your problem is that you even think I'm trying to change it in the first place. I don't even care about that - especially when I'm not even disagreeing with some of the points you made. You are for some reason under the mistaken impression that I'm precluding some sort of "need for positivity". As if I'm saying "That's not allowed in this universe!! No positivity!!" lol. What the fuck? Seriously?

Be positive. Of course. Just understand that we are actually also VERY FUCKED on this planet...and the more ignorantly one turns a blind eye toward what's really going on, the worse it will be for no one but that very person.

Feel bad or good. Your choice.

Tell that to a starving homeless person and then get back to me.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” ― Viktor E. Frankl (Auschwitz Survivor), Man's Search for Meaning

Beautiful sentiment. Not very easy to actualize on a real, practical level, however, is it? Not very easy to imbue such a lofty sentiment in one's life if and when things get so bad that your breaking point gets nearly reached (or even passed).

We all have great strength within us. Most of us have reserves we aren't even aware actually exist...but that are still there. Your sentiment is very poignant and well-taken. What is inside of us is what is really true - not what external circumstances we find ourselves in. That's not the point that's being made here, however. The point is that one's difficulties - even external ones - should never, ever be taken for granted; should never ever be even seemingly belittled. The troubles that one has in their life should never, ever be looked upon as something which can "just be gotten over"...and it's as "simple as that". Such is tantamount to minimizing life's real difficulties - difficulties which millions (tens of millions) have to suffer through daily.

Ultimately, that's essentially what many people are saying whether they know it or not whenever they quickly make offhanded statements like "you can always chose how you feel regardless of what life circumstance you find yourself under."

Again, not a bad sentiment...but easier said than done - much easier said than done.

Much easier said then done. Frankl's trip was finding meaning in his suffering. It was the last thing left to be able to look to in the camps to justify still existing. I'm not sure he would think you could flip a mental switch and decide to be happy, but that he would argue that if you can somehow see meaning in existence all is not lost. He went on to found logotherapy, wherein the first question the patient is asked is, "Why don't you kill yourself?"

Man's Search For Meaning is a great read, and I highly recommend it. However, I totally empathize with what you're saying as well /u/no1113, and it reminds me of a quote from another hero of mine, Johnny Cash:

Well, there's things that never will be right I know, And things need changin' everywhere you go, But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right, You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day, And tell the world that everything's OK, But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back, 'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY8_vZXo8oY

I'm not sure he would think you could flip a mental switch and decide to be happy, but that he would argue that if you can somehow see meaning in existence all is not lost.

Sounds about right to me.

He went on to found logotherapy, wherein the first question the patient is asked is, "Why don't you kill yourself?"

Wonderful question to ask. Gotta look into this guy. I like him already.

'til we start to make a move to make a few things right, You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Sounds about right too - a sentiment I certainly second.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day

Me too. I'm actually a super happy guy. You'd never know it, but it's not so much because I'm a "depressed" type. I wouldn't say I am. It's like a saying I've read before: I'm not depressed. This world just sucks.

It elicits quite a rueful laugh from me when I think about it.

Thanks for the link.

Stay here then. Thanks.