ivory

The current minimum wage is absolute horse shit. If you work 40 hours you should be able to pay rent, have medical insurance, and pay for food. Period. But from a strategic perspective I would not know how to implement this. Businesses would fail if they had to pay their employees a higher wage. The only option would be for businesses to raise prices and who knows what the impact would be.

People are one of two things. Either busy or lazy. It's really important to figure out which end of the spectrum you are so can you move towards a more healthy life style. I happen to lean more towards the lazy end of the spectrum so things like exercise and hanging out with friends really energizes me. Do you work five 12 hours shifts? How many hours do you work per week? You don't seem like an overly busy person. My schedule looks a lot like yours but I try to squeeze in one enjoyable activity per day. If you are in fact a busy person then you may need to figure out what it is that you're avoiding and learn how to open up to it.

This thread was actually a synchronicity for me. I wanted to start a similar thread. Me and a friend were talking about synchronicity the other day and disagreed about the meaning. Some people believe that synchronicity is a sort of sign that you're on the right track, or that there's a god that cares which direction you take, or that god is telling you which way to go. I don't believe that. I believe that it's just an interesting phenomena that occurs sort of randomly. I've also heard that it's a manifestation of the playful nature of the universe. But not meant to assign much more meaning to it than that.

There are pros and cons to both. The mushroom trip lasts for a much shorter period of time for LSD. It can also give you stomach aches. Mushrooms are also less predictable. The potency varies from batch to batch. I personally like LSD because it doesn't vary as much from trip to trip. It's more predictable. The downside is that it lasts longer. And sometimes it can get annoying when you want the trip to end.

Chances are you are going to keep cycling between depression and clarity for some time. I've been through this, and I can tell you that's how it's going to play out. Be careful with all of the advice you get on this forum. There are plenty who have no idea what they are talking about and can lead you down the wrong path. Too many ideas, too much confusion, will only keep you stuck. Only you can figure out what's causing your depression. I wish you the best.

Thanks. Good to meet you Haha awesome. Sounds like something I would do

Sorry, I was exaggerating a bit. But sadly, most people are doing nothing. Youtube, social media, and tv has sucked the souls out of a lot of people. If you really want to see this in action, ask the next 10 people you socialize with... What do you want to do that you aren't currently doing? It's easy to slip into nihilism if you forgot the things that brought you joy when you were a child. A child's environment is different from an adult's. Adults acquire loads of conditioning which must ultimately be purged for them to learn to enjoy life again. Most people end up slipping into distractions, taking a shitty job, or staying in a shitty relationship. And they settle because it's the easy thing to do. To know what you value, and to commit to that, will get you out of a rut. But you're never really out of the woods because there are so many distractions and it's easy to get sucked back into complacency. Anyways, interesting discussion.

Trump will be impeached but I don't believe he'll be removed from office. It's up to voters to see that he doesn't get elected for a second term. And I believe that's exactly what will happen. No second term. Voters for the win.

What @TheAvatarState said. Lol, sup dude?

We are not on the same page at all. Notice in your osho quote that nowhere did he say do nothing until you die. He said to play and enjoy life. If you really want to enjoy life you have to know what you value. The best way to learn this lesson is to pray for an existential crisis. That will show you the truth.

Hahaha. Awesome man. Man, why not feel uncomfortable doing the things you want to do but were afraid to do? Much more practical. Hit on some babes or something.

Nice post. I don't completely disagree. Life has no inherent no meaning. That doesn't mean that it is meaningless. Each person is responsible for discovering what is truly valuable in life, and adhering to those values. For some it may be play, exercise, art, sports, relationships, work, learning, etc. All are rooted in the present moment. Enjoyable activities. To believe that life is meaningless, and pointless, is nihilism. To realize that life is meaningless, but full of joyful activities, is essentially existentialism.

The things I have discovered so far are taking good care of myself, having healthy friends, pursuing authentic desires, and being responsible.

This is how letters look to me when I'm tripping

If one wants to experience more joy, why not just do the things you enjoy doing? Jhana seems unnecessary

Kid's not enlightened. This kid has issues and an imagination.

Maybe you don't know what you want.

I wonder how it affects a person's mind.

@Meditationdude How do you know if it's high quality without trying it first? And which do you think is better for contemplation? Indica or sativa? Or does it even matter?

Weed initially makes me highly self-aware but then I crash and get really lethargic. Does this happen to anyone else? I believe that weed serves a purpose but it has a downside. I try to only smoke it once a week on the weekends as a way to wrap up the week.

Do you exercise or hang out with friends often? Whenever I feel depressed I go for a 60 minute walk and find a friend to hang out with. That usually sets me straight. Meditation doesn't really do much for me when I'm depressed. Anyways, make sure that you're moving and that you aren't isolating.

Glad to hear that. It's my favorite.

You need to set boundaries. Call them out on their bullshit. Just a part of life

Totally normal. Still happens to me from time to time. If you are in and out of it, that's a good thing. It means you're believing in the nihilistic arisings less than you used to. Just out of curiosity, are you an idealist?

I was stuck as a nihilist for a long time. It was very painful. You have to figure out the things that matter to you personally and balance that with acceptance. There is no ideal reality. You'll never have everything that you want. But there are things you can participate in that keep meaninglessness at bay. Find out what matters to you and stick to it. Friendship, family, certain types of work, health and fitness, art, learning, etc. Don't overlook the fact that there are things that make life worth living. Figure out what those things are.