Do you feel an empty, depressing, meaningless dark vibe in America?

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Winston
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Post by Winston »

Ghost wrote:
Winston wrote:Do any of you experience the following in America too?

Whenever you go out and do anything, whether it's going to work, going shopping or doing an errand, there is this feeling that everything is POINTLESS and MEANINGLESS. Even driving into a parking lot at Walmart or Walgreen and dragging your feet to the entrance, feels empty and meaningless too. It's like there's no point to anything you do there. It feels like you're just going through the motions with no point or purpose. Everything feels so meaningless, including the smallest errand.

Do any of you feel that way too? It's so sad isn't it?

If so, I would surmise it's because America offers nothing except consumerism. You are supposed to live for consumerism in America. It's supposed to be your main joy and purpose in life. If it's not, then you don't fit in and you have no business being in America. You are totally out of place.

With most of us, our passion is picking up girls and dating them. But America doesn't provide that. It's the worst place for that because girls are stuck up, unapproachable, and unfriendly. Wanting to pick them up is considered taboo and creepy.

Thus our needs and desires are INVALIDATED in America. We are NOT ALLOWED to pursue what we want. That's why we feel like there's no point to anything in America. We don't live for consumerism, as America expects us to. So we have no place there. We can't be ourselves or pursue what we want either, so we are totally invalidated as well.

Thus everything in America feels empty, pointless and meaningless to us. We drag our feet around in America even though our heart is not in it.

It's like you're not truly living and not even alive. Pretty sad huh?
You've hit on something big here, Winston. The physical infrastructure in America is just as spirit-killing as the "spiritual infrastructure," so to speak. The way houses, stores, work places, and others are constructed numb the soul, dim the spirit, and make everything feel disconnected and...I don't know how to describe it. That is how powerful the effect is. When I would go into a shop in China or the Philippines, it felt like it was more integrated into life. Sure, you walk in, you walk out, but it felt more normal. The physical structure of it felt like it belonged with the rest of the infrastructure - streets, buildings, etc.

In America, life is a series of boxes. (No, I'm not plugging the novel in my signature...) You go from one box to the next. Schools are boxes. Houses are boxes. Churches are boxes. Grocery Stores are boxes. Cars are boxes. Everything is clunky, disjointed, and so everything feels disconnected from everything else instead of fluid as it should be. It's so hard to describe that I don't think words are adequate. It needs to be seen and perceived personally. I've tried to explain to others how life abroad can change you, make you see life more as it is meant to be lived. But words are not enough for this task.
That's a BRILLIANT insight Ghost! I posted it on our Facebook group and got a lot of responses. Check it out.



Here are some comments:
Thomas Hilmersen This is so true. When I explain life in the US to people in other countries, that is how I explain it: You live in an area with no shops, no workplaces and few people outside....then get in the car and travel to your workplace, where there are no houses, no shops, etc....then you go back to your house. In the weekend, it is the same thing, except you go to a shopping mall, instead of to work.
October 26 at 2:14am · Unlike · 2

Martell Tha CoolDude It's very empty and vain living in AmeriKKKa indeed
October 26 at 2:17am · Unlike · 2

Thomas Hilmersen If you really want to get depressed, just go into a Wal-Mart. Depressing music, depressing lightning, depressing people, depressing interior....
October 26 at 2:18am · Unlike · 2

Martell Tha CoolDude Everything looks the same
October 26 at 2:21am · Like · 1

Nick Chung you can't bloody walk anywhere interesting
October 26 at 4:39am · Like · 1

John Jelsovsky Walk? In America? No one WALKS in America. Why, you would have to interact with PEOPLE that way. *Shudder* No American would want to do THAT. </sarcasm>
October 26 at 10:19am · Unlike · 4

Martell Tha CoolDude There's hardly any walking distance
October 26 at 10:37am · Like

Nick Chung Haha, yeah John. People around here look at you like some kind of leper if they see you walking or have this look of "poor guy, he doesn't have a car" - "Yeah I got a car but maybe I feel like walking right now".
I like that metaphor where we go from one "box" to another. I often feel emotionally and even drained from shopping. It's such an inorganic experience.
October 26 at 4:36pm · Like · 2
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Winston
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Re: Do u feel a depressing, empty, meaningless vibe in Ameri

Post by Winston »

Any of you notice the following?

Going out is a very negative experience in America and Taiwan. You get this cold feeling like everyone hates you and wants to avoid you. So you in turn feel the same way toward them as well and can't wait to get home so you can not face people who dislike you. Any of you feel that way too?

It makes going out a very negative experience and one you want to avoid, which creates a vicious cycle because the more you don't go out, the more negative and depressed you get which only makes it worse.

It's very toxic and what's more, you don't get enough fresh air and physical activity from being inside all the time. Sitting too long on the couch or chair makes your mood feel depressed and deflated because your negative thoughts take over and your body doesn't generate energy from physical activity to uplift your mood. It's a very vicious cycle indeed.

Even though you know all this, you still can't help it. It's like there's no point in going out since the social vibe and people are very negative, uptight and paranoid. Every time you go out, you can't wait to get back home again to get away from such unfriendly people who dont like you and view you negatively. So there's no way to break out of this vicious cycle. Very sad huh?
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Re: Do u feel a depressing, empty, meaningless vibe in Ameri

Post by starchild5 »

When i was in Germany and travelling by Bus....I noticed everyone would keep some stuff on their adjacent seat so that it looks like its taken....I was confused and it took some time to figure it out and then ask people to remove their stuff, so that I can sit.

I saw many Asian tourist, just standing in the bus, thinking the seats are already taken....

Its very odd, disrespectful, and the vibe is very negative. Even in India nobody does this uncivil behavior, as if they do not want another human being to sit next to them...Zombie's...How can Germany be called first world, when people behave in this way?

Also, In Germany, Customer Service is non-existent...Its like talking to someone on the street....They just do not understand the meaning of customer care at all and they claim to have the highest IQ in Europe...

.The more the place is so called "Developed" The less they are human beings.
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Winston
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Re: Do u feel a depressing, empty, meaningless vibe in Ameri

Post by Winston »

Another depressing aspect of America is that so many people quote rules and laws as though they have nothing else to live for except to be anal retentive about the many regulations in America that you are supposed to conform to. Have you noticed that? It creates a depressing vibe when people do that, but so many people, especially those who work in government offices, seem to derive some sick joy in being anal retentive about quoting rules and regulations and get off on it. They act as if there was no purpose in life in America other than to strictly observe all laws and rules. And they act as if there is something wrong with you if you don't love obeying every little rule in America. It's one of the most depressing things to see. Don't you hate that? Have any of you noticed this too and felt the same way?
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Re:

Post by Stag »

Winston wrote:Isn't it crazy how, even though America has a depressing, soulless, empty vibe, yet you are still required to pretend to be positive about everything? If that isn't a "forced facade" then I don't know what is.

So sad isn't it? It's like a Twilight Zone too. No wonder why Americans have a split psychosis between reality and the fake facade they project.
I'm in the UK (which mirrors US society alot), and there seems to be an overarching feeling of despair. I'm a single male in my forties, and the social isolation and alienation, is serious.

Although fictional, Martin Scorsese's film, Taxi Driver, was way ahead of it's time (Travis Bickle is basically a social outcast with no roots, lives with no real meaning, and no longer recognizes the society he once grew up in). I wonder how many other people live like this, in a supposedly developed, progressive country?

Winston, I think you should check out the book: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Putman. I think you'll like it.
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Jester »

http://bowlingalone.com/?page_id=13

This is exactly the kind of thing FSchmidt is pushing for in building a new community.
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Winston
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Winston »

Zboy told me that whenever he goes back to the USA, at the airport he immediately notices the toxic energy around Americans. You can immediately sense the uptight, tense, paranoid energy around them. I agree and have noticed that too. Have any of you noticed this as well?
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Post by Ghost »

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Last edited by Ghost on February 23rd, 2020, 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Moretorque »

There attempting to bring this paranoia world wide, anybody ever listen to the Rush song a Farewell to Kings. Pretty insightful and realized on Neil Pert's part.
Last edited by Moretorque on May 10th, 2015, 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by HenryGeorge »

This Rush song from the early 80's called 'Subdivisions' describes the suburbs to a T.

"Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown

Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone

[Chorus:]
(Subdivisions)
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
(Subdivisions)
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth

Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night

Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory of lighted streets on quiet nights..."

[Chorus]
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E Irizarry R&B Singer
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by E Irizarry R&B Singer »

HenryGeorge wrote:This Rush song from the early 80's called 'Subdivisions' describes the suburbs to a T.

"Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown

Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone

[Chorus:]
(Subdivisions)
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
(Subdivisions)
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth

Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night

Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory of lighted streets on quiet nights..."

[Chorus]
I used think the lead singer was troll #literally
He sounds like a grannie goat when he sang.

That lead singer from The Fixx was ugly and pretty at the same time. LOL j/k
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Moretorque »

Thanks. Yaa Neil Pert can write some good stuff at times.

Henry you don't come out to much ?
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Jsport
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Jsport »

You are absolutely correct Winston, its a meaningless feeling living in America for many people, and the worst thing about it is like what you said, you cant even talk about it with other people or else they either take you as a weirdo or as unappreciative. this is my first comment......
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Winston
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Winston »

Have you guys noticed that in America there is this vibe that tries to suck out your soul and spirit? It also tries to torture you mentally and psychologically too. Its hard to explain or put into words. You know what i mean?

Its like there is a metaphysical bully and vampire in America that tries to destroy your soul or corrupt it. And if you are sensitive or soulful, you will especially become its target and will suffer the most. Its as if there is this dark energy in America that loves to destroy the real you and eat your soul or poison it. Do you sense it too? Its very sickening and terrible and sad. Yet no one dares to publicly mention it.

The thing is, despite all of Chinas problems, at least in China you dont feel this vibe or energy that wants to suck out your soul and spirit or crush you psychologically. Something is really wrong in America that cant be put into words. You notice that?
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Stag
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Re: Do you feel a depressing meaningless vibe in America?

Post by Stag »

Prob a culmination of gaining riches, lack of social cohesion (same in the UK), and no sense of belonging to anything, that has built up over the decades. I don't think it will improve in our lifetime.
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