Ozoneocean wrote:
Most people do NOT know anything beyond the surface of most things. All they know about Trump or Cortez is that they seem like independent, strong personalities basically.

This, and also many people think that “politicians” are evil and corrupt and incompetent and whatever and both Trump and AOC sound like they are not mainstream politicians.

I've been keeping an eye on AOC since her election and she has grown immensely. She's no longer the little girl with the squeaky voice and often makes good sense. Americans label her looney left (her district would elect a ficus tree with a D next to its name) but compared to civilized nations in Europe she's middle of the road. Only a few more years and when she's old enough, I say run her for president.
Oh yeah, 2028 the Harris & AOC ticket! Let's drag the US into the 21st century. After another four years of Trump the country will be right back in 1890 complete with disenfranchised women and robber barons. And trans? That's the thing that shifts gears in your car.

Ozoneocean wrote:
It's because the vast majority of people are absolutely politically unaware.
I wont say they're morons, though I would like too… That would make ME a moron though haha, because there's more to it than being an idiot unfortunately.

I agree that very few people have enough book smarts to know all the complexities of running a nation, but I do think that most people have enough street smarts to know when they are being screwed over.

In America, everybody knows that the two establishment political parties are only fighting for the interests of corporations, and they have thrown everybody else under the bus.

I believe that in times of desperation, people get so disgusted with establishment politics that they will turn to charismatic politicians with big personalities who explicitly separate themselves from the establishment. Whether they are on the right or the left is less important.

And in Trump’s case, all that maverick posturing is a big lie, but nobody seems to care.

I've came to feel about my own moral character as a mental illness, because no matter where I look, just about anyone I see both left and right finds some circumstances when they find abuse justifyable or murder as something to be glorified (usually if they deem the other deserves it) and I don't work like that. I'd probably make a great priest if there'd be a single religion thats teachings, doctrines I could adapt to because I never wish harm on anyone and even if I feel that I'm overrun by anger and despair and I do wish harm on someone, I never express it not to feed into this culture. I have so much anxiety from just coming online to have a social life and not live like a hermit and I don't think anyone I know can truly relate to that on this level, because it's like no matter where you go, what group you join, no matter how many ideals you share with certain individuals, you'll still get triggered on a daily basis. Arguing them is pointless, I'd sooner get harassed by a 100 than to convince 1 I'm not part of the problem or not appropriating a system they're fighting against just by staying impartial. And the thing is that I feel all the things they do. The anger, the fear, the hatred, the dread… I just don't want to turn it against others, so it give me non-stop stress and a blood pressure so high my doctors wondering how I'm still alive.

So obviously how I deal with it is very unhealthy, but I don't think me going around justifying horrible things with this and that would help, even if that seems to be the case for most when it comes to their frustrations. And I'm not sharing this because I expect anyone to police themselves from now on, obviously that'd be ridiculous, people here and elsewhere proud themselves of their beliefs. This is just… like the one place I know where I could imagine people not jumping at my throat for venting it out, which I suppose is already a lot more than I've had not even three years ago.

InkyMoondrop wrote:
I've came to feel about my own moral character as a mental illness…Arguing them is pointless… I just don't want to turn it against others… seems to be the case for most when it comes to their This is just… like the one place I know where I could imagine people not jumping at my throat for venting it out, which I suppose is already a lot more than I've had not even three years ago.

You do realize that you have amassed a vast body of work in a brief time? Truly amazing. This glimpse into the troubled soul behind that massive body of effort is enlightening in and of itself.
Much of what you describe is the daily lot of Buddhists and their philosophy is their way to cope with it. I studied Buddhism in college and from there went to Taoism because of its embrace of the absurd. That was a lifetime ago. Though still the art of just being whether in the moment or just the universe brings me peace. And knowing my frustration and anger is part of my illness with me being at the mercy of my body's chemicals, my painful experiences and many other things that when tested against the moment where I am are not valid or not relevant.
What am I capable of doing and how well can I do it and how much improvisation is needed to adapt to and overcome where and I am or do I just shrug and say “fuck it, drive on” and just be.

And as is said in the Tao te Ching; that is why the sage laughs.

Thanks. I always found Buddhism and Taoism/daoism appealing. Perhaps it's time to do more reading on how one can manage practices in modern day society without becoming a monk. I often half-jokingly say, that I'm only about two to three rebirths away from giving up attachments and attaining enlightenment. Not sure if that's just a way to console myself or intuition. In any case, mindfulness is useful. Hard to maintain, but useful.

I think I will properly investigate what Buddhist teachings and practices have to offer next year and immerse myself in such as much as a layperson realistically can, who's just still starting out on a path of spirituality. And if a less stressful life requires more balance, I'll probably put my creative passion and obesession aside just enough to embrace that balance. In the following month I'll see how that'd look like and if needed, I'll slow down publication and creation of my comic (which means the first Book of Imago, Nebraska should still publish 2 pages / day ‘til the end of June, but after that, following books might take 2 years to publish each, with 1 page / day. The commitment is longer, but the work and time it demends is more relaxed, leaving me plenty of time to spend with my fiancée, practice drawing on my tablet, read more comics from others, practice meditation and find an irl community that’d be supportive of walking such a path. After all, 1 page a day is still very productive, even if it takes not 3 and a half, but 7 years to finish. Will see in the following months what's the best approach. Thank you.