I saw this :reddit-logo: post and it got me thinking. Maybe it's the intense sleep deprivation, but I can't even muster the energy to be angry. I'm just sad. I know that individual choice is largely a psyop, but if at least a third of the populace actively wants things to be worse, how can we change things for the better? I know that there are many, many loving and wonderful and kind people all around this country. But as we're continually worked harder and harder and grow more and more impoverished, even the kindest souls will burn out. And what are we all up against? Not just the :porky-happy: elite, but the average swine whose main enjoyment in life is pissing off and upsetting anyone who wants things to be better. What can we even do against this?

  • Wertheimer [any]
    ·
    2 years ago

    David Graeber talks about this a bit in Bullshit Jobs, in a somewhat undercooked but still interesting section on "moral envy." https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/david-graeber-bullshit-jobs#toc49

    Moral envy is an undertheorized phenomenon. I’m not sure that anyone has ever written a book about it. Still, it’s clearly an important factor in human affairs. By “moral envy,” I am referring here to feelings of envy and resentment directed at another person, not because that person is wealthy, or gifted, or lucky, but because his or her behavior is seen as upholding a higher moral standard than the envier’s own. The basic sentiment seems to be “How dare that person claim to be better than me (by acting in a way that I do indeed acknowledge is better than me)?”

    • AbbysMuscles [she/her]
      hexagon
      ·
      2 years ago

      "Moral envy" is a good phrase to describe this. I'll go read that section, cheers!

      • Awoo [she/her]
        ·
        2 years ago

        The entirety of anti-woke culture is reliant on this.

        • UlyssesT
          ·
          edit-2
          21 days ago

          deleted by creator

          • Awoo [she/her]
            ·
            2 years ago

            The inevitable act of declaring yourself anti-woke is that you enter a race to become the most anti-woke. This in turn means that everyone doing so has their behaviour and moral standards deteriorate drastically.

    • Aryuproudomenowdaddy [comrade/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 years ago

      I assume this behavior is familiar to basically all vegetarians or vegans. They will sniff you out if you don't mention it when they notice an absence of animal flesh on your plate.

      • ButtBidet [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        And mask wearers nowadays.

        As a vegan, the solution is to just be so damn outspoken that people don't dare to bring it up lest they get a debate that I'm so prepard for.

        • Aryuproudomenowdaddy [comrade/them]
          ·
          edit-2
          2 years ago

          Most of my family will audibly groan when someone attempts to facts and logic my eating habits because I'm about to bring the fire and hearing about chickens getting their beaks sawed off with red hot blades to cauterize the wound makes them uncomfortable.

        • Aryuproudomenowdaddy [comrade/them]
          ·
          edit-2
          2 years ago

          Area I used to live has a lot of cyclists, a girl I dated would frequently complain about how they were getting in the way.

          • Wertheimer [any]
            ·
            2 years ago

            There was a time in my life when I was more commonly greeted with "Get off the road, you goddamned hippie!" than I was with "Hello."

        • UlyssesT
          ·
          edit-2
          21 days ago

          deleted by creator

        • AbbysMuscles [she/her]
          hexagon
          ·
          edit-2
          2 years ago

          God, me too! I drink cider or wine from time to time, but hard alcohol really doesn't agree with me. I occasionally enjoy being buzzed, but never drunk. And I've already had a few acquaintances all but begging me to do a shot with them

        • UlyssesT
          ·
          edit-2
          21 days ago

          deleted by creator

      • UlyssesT
        ·
        edit-2
        21 days ago

        deleted by creator

    • UlyssesT
      ·
      edit-2
      21 days ago

      deleted by creator

    • Teekeeus
      ·
      edit-2
      29 days ago

      deleted by creator