this post was submitted on 07 Nov 2023
138 points (97.9% liked)

Ask Lemmy

27027 readers
1173 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions

Please don't post about US Politics. If you need to do this, try !politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either !asklemmyafterdark@lemmy.world or !asklemmynsfw@lemmynsfw.com. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email info@lemmy.world. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] BrotherL0v3@lemmy.world 49 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Because, goddammit, a better world is possible! A lot of the time shit sucks and everything is expensive and I wanna just go to bed and never wake up.

But most of my problems are problems millions or even billions of other people struggle with, and those don't get solved by opting out of life.

What's more, those problems are man-made. They're the result of systems designed by mortal men just like me.

So, I stay alive. Because the only way to out-vote, out-number, overpower, and / or annihilate those bastards is to be alive.

[–] radix@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago

Damn right.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 33 points 1 year ago

Fear. I know it gets worse if I stop.

[–] Shadow@lemmy.ca 27 points 1 year ago
[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 26 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] KpntAutismus@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

i saw a picture with a bird and "i live to spite god". this has been my prime motivator.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] banana_meccanica@feddit.it 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Honestly I don't know, I give up on life time ago, then this last year I start "living" again by having a daily activies and job. But I deal with this like someone dead inside, I don't feel any joy. I am not even looking for a goal. I see nothing in other people, I interact with then know that i get forget as soon the day end. I am just too scared to kill myself.

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Have you considered you may be depressed?

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] morphballganon@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The promise of mexican food.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] RisingSwell@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago

In my country it's a process. You book it. My uncle did and left us on a Tuesday at 5pm exactly, surrounded by family.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] radix@lemm.ee 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It feels nice to bike and feel the wind in your hair and huddle into your jacket keeping you warm. I also actively take breaks from playing video games to sit and feel intense gratitude and happiness toward the game. And oranges are absolutely delicious, and singing loud makes me feel alive.

I also like finding flowers in springtime (and putting them into my journal) and seeing/hearing great big flocks of crows in the autumn. Those are seasonal though, not a daily pleasure that keeps me going no matter what.

[–] oldGregg@lemm.ee 17 points 1 year ago

I just keep waking up and it keeps working

[–] theKalash@feddit.ch 16 points 1 year ago (3 children)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] neomachino@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

It used to be various substances but now it's making sure my kid has all the happiness and love that I wish I had growing up and the smile on my wife's face when she sees how happy I've become

[–] Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 1 year ago
[–] SendMePhotos@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago
[–] MamboGator@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

The alternative still seems a little bit worse for now.

[–] Ghostcloser@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 year ago
[–] Oka@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Debt to family members. If I pay them off, I'll have a reason to keep living. If i decide to run or kill myself, then I'll just be "a coward" and "selfish".

But I've had bad luck my whole life. I hope I'll be able to pay them off one day, but the idea of suicide has been crossing my mind daily. I've been unemployed since covid except for 1 job which lasted a month, and another job this December which may only last a month.

I am out of money. I just graduated university with a Bachelors Degree, and unlike most of my colleagues, I've been unable to get a job in the industry.

My school loans are coming to collect in January. My whole family is poor. I'm the realistic example of a poor person graduating with a degree. I'm stuck poor, and I will probably die poor.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] TheBananaKing@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Not wanting to be homeless.

[–] DrSleepless@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago
[–] WhiteHawk@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Well, this thread is fucking depressing

[–] Globulart@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Wife, kids, the next holiday, the next treat, dinner, the thought of telling my boss to fuck off when I find a new job.

Is it me or is lemmy more depressing than reddit was? This is a BLEAK thread....

[–] HollandJim@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

We live in an age where negative sarcasm is considered fashion.

Frankly, I’m not far off your post: Wife, job… but I met my wife in my mid-50s, expecting to be Bachelor Uncle forever. No kids, so no one to take care of us in extreme age but I love and appreciate my wife beyond words, and now I’m 4 years from retiring to her homeland. Admittedly, it’ll be Bali, but dammit - another language to learn, moving to another part of the world, new everything to get through as an immigrant - so challenges… but also new adventures.

You got to keep moving, keep trying to be positive. On on the end-run of life, and if you’re not trying to make our short time here positive, then you’re going to regret everything along the way, so hang in there!

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] MargotRobbie@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The hope that I can set people free from the cynicism at the world, and help them be sincere again, like the way we used to be.

There is no set ending for your story, try your best to make the world better when you can.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] aviationeast@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Burning depression into rage.

[–] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago

I'm not sure. Living feels uncomfortable but the thought of dying and all the suffering it would cause is even more uncomfortable. I'm not sure I want to be here but if I wasn't, my family would be far, far worse off and that makes me feel bad.

[–] polyploy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are a lot of terrible people doing terrible things to humanity and the planet, and I'll be damned if I let those fucking ghouls outlive me.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] theherk@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (4 children)

A lot of bummer answers here and they are many feelings I have had, but now I am old, and I look at it like this. I once didn’t exist. One day, I will again not exist and I’ll never exist again. In the meantime, I get a very brief glimpse to open my eyes and see the universe. In it is a lot of things. Among them love, mac and cheese, peanut butter, sex, and dancing. A hearty laugh and a warm hug is worth all the pain it comes with.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Because I have many things I want to build, or attempt to build.

After living most of my life believing I had no mechanical skills, and all the things I wanted to help build were just pipe dreams and impossible for me but possible for others, I've finally learned that I have meaningful skills that can solve real mechanical problems.

I'm too cynical to think I can solve the world's problems for the masses, but maybe I can increase the output of a machine by 5% without causing it to break too often. Or maybe I can get a product made at the same rate but with less waste.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Shinzid@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Progress.

If I'm improving in any way shape or form then I'm a step out of the dark. This can be from anything like going to the gym, improving on my hobbies, or even learning something new.

[–] cashews_best_nut@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Lack of motivation to end it. I last tried in July/Aug and ended up in hospital for 5 days.

I just need a nudge towards trying again.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] ChihuahuaOfDoom@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If I die by my own hand I know it will mess my family up but that's literally it. I hate my life.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] bestusername@aussie.zone 8 points 1 year ago

Oxygen, water and food.

[–] KpntAutismus@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago
  1. we're at a tipping point in society right now. i wanna see where this goes. it might even get better.

  2. my main problem is money right now. my apprenticeship will be over in 2 Years, and i will get a hefty salary and a guaranteed job.

[–] AeroRake@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

I don't know anymore.

[–] DudeDudenson@lemmings.world 7 points 1 year ago

Your mom /s

[–] JimmyBigSausage@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

Coffee. Hot, black, fresh ground and brewed coffee.

[–] PP_BOY_@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] thorbot@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Not existing would be worse than existing, at least for now. And when it all ends, at least I got my rocks off a whole bunch of times first

[–] jacktherippah@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

The weekends.

[–] Leon@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

the hope that half-life 3 will come out eventually

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Zugyuk@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

If I was gone, my wife and dogs would not have the money to live.

[–] 31415926535@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

Lack of commitment, follow through, cowardice preventing me from doing what I really want to do.

Which means, I don't have that out. I can curl inward, f*ck everything, I'm done, and everything gets worse and worse. Not sustainable.

If I'm stuck here, no way out, I suppose only way left is to try to figure out how to get out of this dark space. It doesn't have to be fixed all at once. Just do one small good thing for yourself. Give yourself time to heal, recover. Take it slow. The only way things can change is by actions. Take a shower. Go to goodwill, spend $ on clothes that isn't sweatpants and tattered t-shirts. ..

If I keep at this, one small step at a time, I'm laying in a solid foundation, preparing for that point in future where I'll be able to go back to that goodwill, ask if they're hiring. Sure, not the cushy $75k job you had b4 becoming homeless. It's better than staying on SSI, trapped below poverty level in overcrowded slums.

Only way to move forward is to keep trying.

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Oats, caffeine and misplaced optimism.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] lyam23@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

I figured out how to feel better. It's what we've been told all along but didn't want to hear. From the outside it looks like a prescription for a miserable, dull, joyless life. In reality it opens up the possibility of feeling good, happy, and free.

load more comments
view more: next ›