Is anyone else feeling like this?

[Deleted Member]

i am having a problem since the lockdowns started 18 months ago and I can't seem to shake it off. Where I have had very little human contact over the lockdowns. And seen a culture war go off on steroids, I now just don't feel I can interact with people anymore...these are horrible times to be living in right now and all that has been pushed by the media over this time  is division. All of this has been completely unnecessary and has created a toxic feeling between everyone, human rights and basic freedom has been weaponised and the freedom of choice has been demonised by such untrustworthy people.....we are in a place of the haves and the have nots, and sides have been taken by many!! I refuse to be a part in this awful excuse of a new normal, I am and always will be a free thinker and will not follow the crowd...But seeing how many have fallen into this trap has made me look at people very differently. It has pushed me away from people and I look now with an element of mistrust I never used to have before ......does anyone else feel like this?  I just want the old normal back where this didn't exist

[Chastity_Pup_Gabbia]

I'm entitled to believe that yes, life nowadays has made it more difficult for people communicate with each other. Also, I feel people are unable to have healthy debates without someone getting upset or trying to shout down their opinions. Hopefully, things can improve and life can get back to some normality. However, it will be a tough slog, that's if we can ever get things sorted.
Continue to be a free thinker. Never let things grind you down. And if you need a chat or vent you know where to find me. 👍

[Mz****]

I may be a lone voice in this, but I don't actually want things to go back to the way they were.

The epidemic plaguing the world brought new appreciation for many who began recognising how important family, freedom, mental health, education, communication, physical touch, and health care are.. it brought some communities together and broke others apart, new voices have emerged and I welcome that change, to name but a few its highlighted issues with poverty, housing problems, racism, corrupt politician's and ineffective governments, employment, disparity, and as you say human rights planet wide..returning to normal means all those continuing to be rife and unacknowledged, but I want us to move forwards not back.

Its been a horrific time for almost all of us, we've faced things no one should have to, some of us are still very much still dealing, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. We're likely all dealing differently, there's no right or wrong way, it's like grieving, in fact it kinda is grieving, you're mourning what you've lost, and I'm sorry you're finding it so hard. I hope you find talking about it helps and that you find a way to move forwards, whatever the new normal turns out to be.

 

[Deleted Member]

Sounds like you are happy with this situation

56 minutes ago, MzJax said:

I may be a lone voice in this, but I don't actually want things to go back to the way they were.

The epidemic plaguing the world brought new appreciation for many who began recognising how important family, freedom, mental health, education, communication, physical touch, and health care are.. it brought some communities together and broke others apart, new voices have emerged and I welcome that change, to name but a few its highlighted issues with poverty, housing problems, racism, corrupt politician's and ineffective governments, employment, disparity, and as you say human rights planet wide..returning to normal means all those continuing to be rife and unacknowledged, but I want us to move forwards not back.

Its been a horrific time for almost all of us, we've faced things no one should have to, some of us are still very much still dealing, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. We're likely all dealing differently, there's no right or wrong way, it's like grieving, in fact it kinda is grieving, you're mourning what you've lost, and I'm sorry you're finding it so hard. I hope you find talking about it helps and that you find a way to move forwards, whatever the new normal turns out to be.

 

 

[Mz****]

5 minutes ago, Chiana said:

Sounds like you are happy with this situation

 

Absolutely not..in fact I've been hit a lot harder than most for a multitude of reasons, but for the good of my mental health I'm just trying to find some sort of positive rather than let myself be dragged back down a deep black hole. 

[Strengan]

The culture war on both sides predates the pandemic. Here in 2016 we had Brexit which has left the UK divided and prone to bouts of cultural gaslighting and not long afterwards in the US after decades of acrimony between what was inaccurately labelled as the moral majority pushing back against the heirs of the 1960s the acrimony reached a new high with Trump.

What has happened is that the isolation due to the pandemic has heightened people’s perceptions and and made them more sensitive. But demographics suggest the culture wars on both sides of the Atlantic will eventually subside as the culture I always conservatism expires along with the baby boomers. In the meantime the true majority are somewhere in the middle busy getting on with surviving.

[TheBookCollector]

You are not alone, ive fel like this for a while, seeing fractures appear across many different generational, cultural, geographic and social lines over decades, Brexit, and the Pandemic were probably the last couple of straws that broke the proverbial camels back.

We arent professionals and i would suggest you seek out professional assistance to help work your way through how you feel,.and also learn coping.mechanisms, eg ignoring the media.

[Deleted Member]

4 minutes ago, TheBookCollector said:

You are not alone, ive fel like this for a while, seeing fractures appear across many different generational, cultural, geographic and social lines over decades, Brexit, and the Pandemic were probably the last couple of straws that broke the proverbial camels back.

We arent professionals and i would suggest you seek out professional assistance to help work your way through how you feel,.and also learn coping.mechanisms, eg ignoring the media.

I won't watch TV anymore its rife with virtue signalling and propergander. Professional help! Are you joking? All they will try and do is try to get you to believe that the lies are the the truth. Hospitals are nothing but covid centers, whilst every other illness like cancer has been put in last position and is now killing people that could have been saved. They bang on about mental health but they have created the biggest mental health problem in history

[qu****]

I guess I'm lucky in this, I've really been keen on other people, much preferring my own company, so from a lockdown reduced social contact side of things I've found it wonderful

[sm****]

Like a lot of people the situation opened my eyes more, not to just the vanilla world but the antics of those in fet scene as well.

I spent the first 6 months with no human contact bar protecting a very *** relative.   

 I give up on watching the one sided and divisive news channels years before this happened. 

Iv'e seen the good brought out in people scene and vanilla,  i knew little about but and a big "BUT" have seen the hypocrisy and self centeredness brought out in many i thought i knew.  While others tried to do the right thing and public responsibility, others have just given it the middle finger.

It got to the stage i stopped doing online so i didn't and call out people on this and spoil others enjoyment.  I got on with my life and shut those hypocrites out of it...funny no drama or treading on eggshells, i feel great and some of this has been a blessing in disguise.  Yes some aspects are a major *** in the ass, i still don't like large crowds, but when out and about i make sure it's for and with a small group of trusted valued people that brings real value to everyone.  I value honest friendships more than collecting friends and polularity contests,  the restrictions have highlighted more what I really valued and needed to change in my life.

As for the whole vanilla side it's brought in to focus what we should be spending *** and investing in on and not vanity projects or peoples blinkered political propaganda. 

It sounds a bit ranty but it could be a hell of a lot worse tbh.....

 

[so****]

Freedom itself is in danger. We are in the fourth turning. All sons and daughters of Liberty must rise up and resist this tyranny. If we fail, the world is in danger of falling into a new dark age of authoritarianism, possibly never to recover. Some may think this is hyperbole or an exaggeration. My God i wish that were true. Mass civil disobedience is the only answer. The only reason this shit hasn't been stopped is because we are letting it happen. Think on this & do not call me radical or extreme until you have done thorough research yourself. I expect this post will be censored & deleted & I will be punished for it, only proving my fucking point. If not, cool. But it is expected. Sadly.

[qu****]

🤷

[Deleted Member]

1 hour ago, sonofthunder777 said:

Freedom itself is in danger. We are in the fourth turning. All sons and daughters of Liberty must rise up and resist this tyranny. If we fail, the world is in danger of falling into a new dark age of authoritarianism, possibly never to recover. Some may think this is hyperbole or an exaggeration. My God i wish that were true. Mass civil disobedience is the only answer. The only reason this shit hasn't been stopped is because we are letting it happen. Think on this & do not call me radical or extreme until you have done thorough research yourself. I expect this post will be censored & deleted & I will be punished for it, only proving my fucking point. If not, cool. But it is expected. Sadly.

Exactly what I see happening. At least I'm not the only one who is seeing this coming. Alot of people will laugh it off and call it conspiracy. Well in 2021 the only difference between conspiracy and becoming reality is only about six months

[Phoenyx]

I heartily agree with both @Chianaand @MzJax.  In fact, I was contemplating a similar thread.  I hesitated only because such a sociopolitical topic might be deemed "inappropriate".  Still, here it is, and I am glad that this is finally being openly discussed.

Yes, the current situation is unacceptable!  Yes, the previous situation was unacceptable (though it sucked less than the present).  Society is on the verge of collapsing under the weight of its own BS.  I have predicted this coming for years.  The nobility of this world (the so-called "1%") have crossed the dangerous threshold, where they now own more than half of everything.  Ordinary folks no longer have a say in democracy.  "Blind acceptance" has become "The New Normal".

Many ask how this could have happened.  I am old enough to recall the 1970's, and how folks from that time would not tolerated this BS for more than 5 minutes!  Really, there are many causes.  The most obvious though, involves the changes in the school system.  Yes, kids really are being "dumbed-down".  Corporate employers have stated that they don't want intelligent workers, as "free-thinkers" tend to "rock the boat".  So, kids are being programmed to be good little worker drones.

True, that does sound like tinfoil-hat BS.  So, let me present an actual excerpt from a 1969 think-tank study, conducted at Michigan State University.  This study presented ways to "reform" the "future" school system---supposedly, to avert any repeat of the student turmoil of the 1960's.  It was called the "Behavioral Science Teacher Education Project" (BSTEP).  For those not familiar with the term, "Behavioral Science" is a euphemism for the study of conditioning and/or "brainwashing".  This excerpt was taken from two sections of that report, whose titles were: "A Controlling Elite” (page 255) and “Communications Capabilities and Potentialities for Opinion Control” (page 261):

A dominant elite will provide “bread and circuses”, to keep social dissension and disruption to a minimum... All (non-elite citizens) will be in constant communication with their employers or other controllers, and thus exposed to direct subliminal influence... Relatively few individuals will be able to maintain control over their (own) opinions. (Instead) Most will be pawns of competing opinion molders.

Does any of this sound familiar?  I can recall being told by college professors, back in the mid 1980's, that "free-thinkers" weren't wanted anymore.  Later, in the mid 90's, I was told by an Employment Placement Official: "The World is changing, and there is no longer a place for people like YOU!"  The writing was already on the wall.

As for all of the "divisiveness", that has been engineered!  It is merely the age-old practice of "feudalism"---keep the lower classes fighting amongst themselves, so that they don't unite against the controlling power.  Consider how the majority of younger folks have been programmed to react irrationally, whenever someone speaks-out against the questionable vaccines, the use of "Vaccine Passports" to track and control people's movements, "Critical Race Theory", "Climate Change", etc...  From my experience, whenever someone resorts to insults, name-calling, and threats of ***, they have already lost their argument!  They need to be reminded of that fact.

Unfortunately, violent protests are no longer the answer (no matter how good they might feel).  Since the 1960's, protests have been so over-used, that people just don't pay attention to them anymore.  Additionally, the "Mainstream" Corporate Media will not repeat any message that goes against "The Narrative" (George Orwell would likely take great interest in the modern use of that term).  "Spin" will be applied to vilify such protests (if they are covered at all).  Then, there is the heavy censorship in today's "Social Media".  As Orwell put it in 1984, "Censorship is there to protect The Truth!"  Compare that to how Youtube and Fakebook censor dissenting opinions---branding them as "disinformation".  Even legitimate scientific information is being heavily censored and vilified, to protect "The Narrative".

Truly, "Common Sense" is no longer common.  Which, returns to the question of how to fight back.  From what I see, considering the present climate, one-on-one, face-to-face interaction is the best start. Yes, it will be an uphill battle.  Mark Twain once said (paraphrasing) "It is much easier to fool someone, than it is to convince them that they have been fooled."  Yes, the response will likely be insults and name-calling.  Do not stoop to their level!  Merely point-out (calmly) that their actions are proof that they have already lost their argument.  If you can convince just two people, they in turn, might each convince two more people, and the word will spread exponentially.

Well, I should probably get off of my soapbox now.  This was a bit long, and I congratulate anyone who has read this far.  I only hope that this has helped.

 

[Deleted Member]

2 hours ago, smeagol said:

Like a lot of people the situation opened my eyes more, not to just the vanilla world but the antics of those in fet scene as well.

I spent the first 6 months with no human contact bar protecting a very *** relative.   

 I give up on watching the one sided and divisive news channels years before this happened. 

Iv'e seen the good brought out in people scene and vanilla,  i knew little about but and a big "BUT" have seen the hypocrisy and self centeredness brought out in many i thought i knew.  While others tried to do the right thing and public responsibility, others have just given it the middle finger.

It got to the stage i stopped doing online so i didn't and call out people on this and spoil others enjoyment.  I got on with my life and shut those hypocrites out of it...funny no drama or treading on eggshells, i feel great and some of this has been a blessing in disguise.  Yes some aspects are a major *** in the ass, i still don't like large crowds, but when out and about i make sure it's for and with a small group of trusted valued people that brings real value to everyone.  I value honest friendships more than collecting friends and polularity contests,  the restrictions have highlighted more what I really valued and needed to change in my life.

As for the whole vanilla side it's brought in to focus what we should be spending *** and investing in on and not vanity projects or peoples blinkered political propaganda. 

It sounds a bit ranty but it could be a hell of a lot worse tbh.....

 

Well if the powers that had been honest from the start they would have had everyone onboard, but they lied instead and pushed a narrative that isn't true. Allowed a two teired policing system to go before our very eyes, so yes nothing but hypocrisy from the start. And have a group like sage  that doesn't have a qualified doctor among them to reign down project *** in everyone......so forgive me for not trusting or believing the liars in charge

[Deleted Member]

7 minutes ago, Phoenyx said:

I heartily agree with both @Chianaand @MzJax.  In fact, I was contemplating a similar thread.  I hesitated only because such a sociopolitical topic might be deemed "inappropriate".  Still, here it is, and I am glad that this is finally being openly discussed.

Yes, the current situation is unacceptable!  Yes, the previous situation was unacceptable (though it sucked less than the present).  Society is on the verge of collapsing under the weight of its own BS.  I have predicted this coming for years.  The nobility of this world (the so-called "1%") have crossed the dangerous threshold, where they now own more than half of everything.  Ordinary folks no longer have a say in democracy.  "Blind acceptance" has become "The New Normal".

Many ask how this could have happened.  I am old enough to recall the 1970's, and how folks from that time would not tolerated this BS for more than 5 minutes!  Really, there are many causes.  The most obvious though, involves the changes in the school system.  Yes, kids really are being "dumbed-down".  Corporate employers have stated that they don't want intelligent workers, as "free-thinkers" tend to "rock the boat".  So, kids are being programmed to be good little worker drones.

True, that does sound like tinfoil-hat BS.  So, let me present an actual excerpt from a 1969 think-tank study, conducted at Michigan State University.  This study presented ways to "reform" the "future" school system---supposedly, to avert any repeat of the student turmoil of the 1960's.  It was called the "Behavioral Science Teacher Education Project" (BSTEP).  For those not familiar with the term, "Behavioral Science" is a euphemism for the study of conditioning and/or "brainwashing".  This excerpt was taken from two sections of that report, whose titles were: "A Controlling Elite” (page 255) and “Communications Capabilities and Potentialities for Opinion Control” (page 261):

A dominant elite will provide “bread and circuses”, to keep social dissension and disruption to a minimum... All (non-elite citizens) will be in constant communication with their employers or other controllers, and thus exposed to direct subliminal influence... Relatively few individuals will be able to maintain control over their (own) opinions. (Instead) Most will be pawns of competing opinion molders.

Does any of this sound familiar?  I can recall being told by college professors, back in the mid 1980's, that "free-thinkers" weren't wanted anymore.  Later, in the mid 90's, I was told by an Employment Placement Official: "The World is changing, and there is no longer a place for people like YOU!"  The writing was already on the wall.

As for all of the "divisiveness", that has been engineered!  It is merely the age-old practice of "feudalism"---keep the lower classes fighting amongst themselves, so that they don't unite against the controlling power.  Consider how the majority of younger folks have been programmed to react irrationally, whenever someone speaks-out against the questionable vaccines, the use of "Vaccine Passports" to track and control people's movements, "Critical Race Theory", "Climate Change", etc...  From my experience, whenever someone resorts to insults, name-calling, and threats of ***, they have already lost their argument!  They need to be reminded of that fact.

Unfortunately, violent protests are no longer the answer (no matter how good they might feel).  Since the 1960's, protests have been so over-used, that people just don't pay attention to them anymore.  Additionally, the "Mainstream" Corporate Media will not repeat any message that goes against "The Narrative" (George Orwell would likely take great interest in the modern use of that term).  "Spin" will be applied to vilify such protests (if they are covered at all).  Then, there is the heavy censorship in today's "Social Media".  As Orwell put it in 1984, "Censorship is there to protect The Truth!"  Compare that to how Youtube and Fakebook censor dissenting opinions---branding them as "disinformation".  Even legitimate scientific information is being heavily censored and vilified, to protect "The Narrative".

Truly, "Common Sense" is no longer common.  Which, returns to the question of how to fight back.  From what I see, considering the present climate, one-on-one, face-to-face interaction is the best start. Yes, it will be an uphill battle.  Mark Twain once said (paraphrasing) "It is much easier to fool someone, than it is to convince them that they have been fooled."  Yes, the response will likely be insults and name-calling.  Do not stoop to their level!  Merely point-out (calmly) that their actions are proof that they have already lost their argument.  If you can convince just two people, they in turn, might each convince two more people, and the word will spread exponentially.

Well, I should probably get off of my soapbox now.  This was a bit long, and I congratulate anyone who has read this far.  I only hope that this has helped.

 

I has to be spoken about, saying nothing fixes nothing. It's got to the point with me that I can't stand the silence on this. To many pretending that it's OK whilst being told what to do....time to say no enough is enough! Funny you mentioned behaviour science, because that is what sage group is full of along with members of the communist party of the UK, and not a virologist or a medical doctor amongst them...and they are ones our own gov has used against us. So I very much doubt that they have our best interests at heart...soo when you push Soviet style brainwashing on your own people, doesn't exactly fill you with hope

[Phoenyx]

23 minutes ago, Chiana said:

I has to be spoken about, saying nothing fixes nothing. It's got to the point with me that I can't stand the silence on this.

The silence comes from the fact that dissenting voices are being censored!  This is what is really frustrating me.  The folks that I talk to IRL, say things that are quite different from what I get from say, Youtube.

I know what you mean about the political appointees being put in charge of Covid policy.  Look at that fool, Anthony Fauci, here in the US.  For a bit of humor, check out this video of Fauci being put in charge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGPilIoNdwg

[Deleted Member]

1 minute ago, Phoenyx said:

The silence comes from the fact that dissenting voices are being censored!  This is what is really frustrating me.  The folks that I talk to IRL, say things that are quite different from what I get from say, Youtube.

I know what you mean about the political appointees being put in charge of Covid policy.  Look at that fool, Anthony Fauci, here in the US.  For a bit of humor, check out this video of Fauci being put in charge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGPilIoNdwg

Don't get me started on good old dr fauci, he knew exactly what went on and signed the funding for it. I hope he gets the chair for what he has done

[qu****]

And the biggest cause of all these theory's, boredom, if covid hadn't happened everything would of just carried on, and I'm sorry but I doubt if things like blm etc, may if been a bit of a fuss for a couple of weeks, then blown over, now I fully expect to be slagged off over this, but through not working for a couple of years due to a health problem I've explored stories as something to do, and to be honest, there is no evidence for these conspiracy theorys, I've had my say, and if there's any responses I won't be looking, you see, I'm bored now, one final thought, check the rules anything political or overly religious on this site is frowned upon heavily

[Deleted Member]

2 minutes ago, quietlysure said:

And the biggest cause of all these theory's, boredom, if covid hadn't happened everything would of just carried on, and I'm sorry but I doubt if things like blm etc, may if been a bit of a fuss for a couple of weeks, then blown over, now I fully expect to be slagged off over this, but through not working for a couple of years due to a health problem I've explored stories as something to do, and to be honest, there is no evidence for these conspiracy theorys, I've had my say, and if there's any responses I won't be looking, you see, I'm bored now, one final thought, check the rules anything political or overly religious on this site is frowned upon heavily

Bat flu ehh,,,I don't think so

[Ba****]

I do share alot of Chianna has said, were standing at a crossroads. Dissenting voices are silenced, every media company is moderating discussion removing the other views. The papers every day now keep using the term "the unvaccinated" feels like someone is creating a boogeyman and something very draconian is coming.

Do I know what's going on nope do I believe Bill Gates is abiut to microchip me no. But it stinks the whole thing stinks. Were busy watching the removal of civil liberties and possibly even the removal of a right to your own body. Creating a system of the compliant who get the luxuries and freedom to move and the non compliant who will effectively be blocked for everything as a means of holding their feet to the fire to accept what is pushed onto them.

[Deleted Member]

4 minutes ago, BadTaste_Ted said:

I do share alot of Chianna has said, were standing at a crossroads. Dissenting voices are silenced, every media company is moderating discussion removing the other views. The papers every day now keep using the term "the unvaccinated" feels like someone is creating a boogeyman and something very draconian is coming.

Do I know what's going on nope do I believe Bill Gates is abiut to microchip me no. But it stinks the whole thing stinks. Were busy watching the removal of civil liberties and possibly even the removal of a right to your own body. Creating a system of the compliant who get the luxuries and freedom to move and the non compliant who will effectively be blocked for everything as a means of holding their feet to the fire to accept what is pushed onto them.

 

Remember you will own nothing and be happy about it!

[Phoenyx]

51 minutes ago, quietlysure said:

And the biggest cause of all these theory's, boredom

Actually, I see the biggest cause of "conspiracy theories", to be all of the secrecy and back-pedaling by officials.  Any critical thinker can tell when an official is hiding something, or telling only half of the truth.  The holes in the accounts have been big enough to pass a freight train.  Of course, folks are going to come-up with theories to fill those holes.

Which, gets back to the topic of "censorship".  Legitimate theories, ones that might raise serious questions, are being censored.  Meanwhile, wild stuff like, "Invasion of the Baby-eating Lizard People", is allowed to pass.  In fact, such crazy statements are actually being weaponized, to discredit all dissenting voices.  Is it even a "conspiracy"?  Or, is it merely the powerful elites all pursuing the same ideology/agenda.  What is their end game?

Look at some of the previous, "wild conspiracy theories", that proved to be true:

--  "Covid originated in a viral lab."

--  "Lockdowns will last a lot longer than 3 weeks."

--  "Vaccinated people are still getting sick from Covid"

--  "Governments plan to impose "vaccine passports", to monitor/control people's movements."

[Sinstress]

12 minutes ago, Chiana said:

Remember you will own nothing and be happy about it!

I literally just said that to Ted

[Deleted Member]

3 minutes ago, Sinstress said:

I literally just said that to Ted

I don't believe all these things are coincidence or conspiracy, purposeful I do believe....they say why waist a good crisis