Have recent events changed the way you view things/your perspective on life?

[missy]

 

[missy]

For me it has just brought to the forefront what has always been there.
Racial injustice isn't new. It's always been here. Now it is front and center.
Hoping for real change.

As for the pandemic, well we all (many of us at least) knew this was coming. We just didn't know when. I was surprised how unprepared our country was for this pandemic. I hope that this experience makes us better prepared for future pandemics.

So my perspective on life has not changed per se. Just more acutely aware that all we are promised is the here and now and to take each day as it comes making it the best we can for the future is unknown and uncertain. And we have a very long way to go for racial/religous/gender equality in this country and this world. IMO.

 

[kenny]

Yeah.
I'm more prepared to die than ever before.

 

[missy]

Yeah.
I'm more prepared to die than ever before.

I wish I could feel this way. As a very young child I’ve always feared death. No matter how much I try making peace with the inevitable I am not yet ready.

 

[kenny]

Birth and death are 2 sides of the same unimportant silly little coin.
Life itself is not a lie.
It's real, but it's obviously temporary.

Eternal life IS a lovely idea, but a lie.
No proof.

Acceptance of reality (hard or impossible for some) is beautiful, and IMO is peace.

 

[missy]

Birth and death are 2 sides of the same unimportant silly little coin.
Life itself is not a lie.
It's real, but it's obviously temporary.

Eternal life IS a lovely idea, but a lie.
No proof.

Acceptance of reality (hard or impossible for some) is beautiful, and IMO is peace.

I agree with you Kenny. I’m working on accepting and coming to peace with it. I’m a work in progress. What I know intellectually is sometimes hard to accept emotionally.

 

[kenny]

Well, alive today, let's enjoy this the only life we are sure of (requiring no pretending) to the fullest.

 

[diamondringlover]

yes however my view of everything changed back when my mom got sick, she got C-diff in Nov 2018 she ended up in the hospital 3 times and they had to take her colon, she almost died...why it changed my view was one of the times she wasnt in the hospital she went to the grocery store...she was sick at that time she wanted wine(she is an alcoholic)...anyway 2 days later she called me half dead and I had to call the squad and she went back to the hospital, I started thinking about all the people she potential exposed to c-diff, she isnt good at all about washing her hands and never has been (she was in the beginning stage of dementia at that time)..so I started at that point being much more careful about obsessive hand washing and sanitizing everything...so when this covid crap hit I was prepared I amped things up even more. Also like Kenny I am ready for death, I am old and life doesnt seem to have much purpose anymore anyway...

 

[AprilBaby]

I agree with Kenny, after almost three months in quarantine my mood is heading down and I would be at peace with death. I believe in eternal life.

 

[Demon]

I kind of wish I did believe in eternal life, but I don't. To me, it feels like this country is about to explode. Between the police violence and the people that are trying to turn protests into looting and violence; the crazies that think Antifa is everywhere (we had an incident in a town here in CO where a man held 2 others at gunpoint because he thought they were Antifa. He was arrested, lol. And this has been happening in WA, etc) the open the states protests with armed protesters, health care officials receiving death threats, etc...add in the pandemic, voter suppression... I'm feeling pretty pessimistic.

 

[Austina]

Only inasmuch as I’m definitely NOT ready to die yet!

 

[kenny]

The evidence supports eternal death.

I go with what there's evidence for.
I don't like that, but at least it's not made up.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Recent events have changed my perspective on how I think about the United States. I do believe we were a great country who made the world a better place. I thought, for the most part, we were smart, intelligent and a caring people. Now, just as our rainforests are disappearing, so our areas of cultural consensus are disappearing. I see a people who are rather stupid, and have lost their way. Its falling down, down the rabbit hole. Each group demands something for itself in a never ending pursuit of some want or demand. I call them the ride catchers. BlackLivesMatter turns into People of color demand......To wear or not wear masks turns into Individual rights over Public Health Policy. Public Health Policy turns into fragments of gentle words uttered by the CDC that these suggestions are just suggestions.
Personally, I do think we are in chaos, No more the great USA. The mentally unstable Orange Man rules and we are as unstable as he is. I wonder if its an infectious disease.

Annette

 

[MMtwo]

Times have been harder in my home. My more conservative husband and I have had some very intense discussions. His family is different than mine and their views have made me uncomfortable in the past. It's not an easy task to speak up. It's a delicate, surgical task. The work is exhausting. I've cried a lot. We're taking everything apart to examine. I hope this helps us to do better.

Add COVID.
What a dumpster-fire of a year.

 

[scouty]

I'm married to an immigrant and in an inter-racial marriage. I've been left thinking to myself why did my husband go through all this hard work and sacrifice to come to the US. I am hoping there will be real change.

 

[lyra]

I may be nitpicking, but no, nothing has changed my view on life. Events have made me think about other people, what they've gone through and are going through, and I am helpless to help mostly. My worldview might be a little more informed I'd say. I'm thinking that the US is on fire right now, and hope things will change for the better soon.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Since its beginning, America has always had its flashpoints. The turmoil of today is not new but hopefully some change for the better will come of it. For all of our claims of freedom, wealth, military might, etc., COVID comes along and none of those things alone can eradicate it. That has been a humbling eye opener for me. Always a possibility but nothing that I really felt would come to fruition in the way that it has. Death is not something I welcome but I realize that it is inevitable. How and when it comes has one more possible avenue for us all. It is unsettling and the recent turmoil makes every thing seem scarier and unsettled. However, we just have to keep putting one foot ahead of the other and hope for better days ahead. I hope there will be a vaccine or promising treatment for COVID sooner rather than later. Having said all of that though - there will be other unforeseen bumps in the road ahead too. That is the reality of our life on this earth.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Probably not.

Sometimes I think it should but realistically no. My life is over run with practical problems and dilemmas. Nothing bad or even challenging, just things that must keep on rolling.

We're helping my son try to do well in a very important exam next year. All the family energy is devoted to that.

Sometimes in lieu of what's happening in the world I think why on earth are we all so hung up about this exam.

But life goes on. There's an army of kids all studying for that exam too. They're probably not lamenting about life and their tiger parents are not taking a break even if the world burns. So we just keep doing what we do.

 

[1ofakind]

Perhaps some will think it is unenlightened when I say that I haven't any radical change of perspectives since recent events have unfolded. It may all be new to most of us but it isn't new in a global/historical perspective. There has always been unrest, injustice, sickness, death....I don't expect that to change in my lifetime. I don't expect that it will always be this close to home. I do expect to continue to live in such a way to make my little corner of the world a better place....hard to accomplish large scale, only a few will make such an impact. But it's remarkably easy to accomplish in small to medium tangible ways. So that is where I focus.
I certainly don't see anything going on that makes me eager for death. I'm a 'count your blessings' kind of person so even in the worst of times I look for bits of light. I'm not denying reality but recognizing the fullness of it. I believe in the hope of eternal life but if I'm wrong I'm not living any less of a life now because of it. A lack of proof/evidence does not make something a lie. Faith is both challenging and enriching to me and yet completely unnecessary if one has 'proof'. I think that is the whole point of faith.

 

[Karl_K]

Ask me in a year.

 

[LLJsmom]

Hi,

Recent events have changed my perspective on how I think about the United States. I do believe we were a great country who made the world a better place. I thought, for the most part, we were smart, intelligent and a caring people. Now, just as our rainforests are disappearing, so our areas of cultural consensus are disappearing. I see a people who are rather stupid, and have lost their way. Its falling down, down the rabbit hole. Each group demands something for itself in a never ending pursuit of some want or demand. I call them the ride catchers. BlackLivesMatter turns into People of color demand......To wear or not wear masks turns into Individual rights over Public Health Policy. Public Health Policy turns into fragments of gentle words uttered by the CDC that these suggestions are just suggestions.
Personally, I do think we are in chaos, No more the great USA. The mentally unstable Orange Man rules and we are as unstable as he is. I wonder if its an infectious disease.

Annette

Annette, I'm so sorry you are feeling this way. But "mentally unstable Orange Man" still has me laughing out loud as I am responding. Thank you for being so clever and funny!

 

[LLJsmom]

I don't really think too deeply or ruminate on things, probably if I did I would get too depressed. I focus on the daily tasks and find small distractions, and try to be generally aware. I think back on the challenges the previous generations have faced, to remind me that people get through them, hopefully for the better, and time still marches on. Babies are born and everyone dies at some point. So I don't think it has changed how I think about the cycles of life. I do think the BLM movement is significant, and can be a "flashpoint" like @MissGotRocks says. (I've been watching The Flash with the kids, and get it from that perspective.) It feels a little scary because I feel change is coming, but am not certain of the outcome. But I definitely feel hopeful that it will be for the better. This change has long been in the making, (been listening to the Color of Law) and it probably took the perfect storm of events to make it happen. In that sense, I am excited for it and am hopeful the future generations will reap the benefits.

 

[missy]

I read a very interesting link from @Matata upthread about how in another generation or so this won't be as much of a problem as it is now as the makeup of the population (in the USA that is) will be more minority than Caucasian.

Here it is in case you missed it.

Thanks @missy. Entertaining read: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/generation-alpha-after-gen-z_l_5d420ef4e4b0aca341181574

"Already Generation Z-ers [in the U.S.] are minority white. But I think as we get into this new generation, this will be something that in a way defines them in terms of their ability to accept people of different backgrounds, and the idea of racial division may not exist to them to the extent that it exists in our country now,” he said.”

Change is inevitable and hopefully change for the better will be here despite ourselves. :/
Let's face it the biggest impediments to humanity are the people but hopefully with the newest generations (more diversity equals more tolerance and acceptance and equality I hope) we will be better and stronger.

 

[GliderPoss]

It’s been a roller coaster of a year so far... heartbreaking divorce, moved to city, great new job, awful bushfires, epic hail storm, Covid-19, nearly losing job due to company losses & dealing with unwell parents! My perspective is I’m more resilient than I knew.

Bring on 2021....

 

[missy]

It’s been a roller coaster of a year so far... heartbreaking divorce, moved to city, great new job, awful bushfires, epic hail storm, Covid-19, nearly losing job due to company losses & dealing with unwell parents! My perspective is I’m more resilient than I knew.

Bring on 2021....

I am so sorry for all you and your family are going through and sending you good vibes and well wishes. And yes we are more resilient than we give ourselves credit for generally. (((Hugs))).