I wrote a post two months ago called the "Steemit Broken Hearts Club." After that I was able to have @stellabelle on my mspwaves radio show with me. She helped share a distinction of users with me that instantly clicked when I heard it.
There are two types of Steemians
The first type of Steemian is someone who found Steemit on their own after a long journey to get here.
The second type of Steemian is someone who found Steemit because a friend told them to join.
The Earth is broken
I happen to believe a number of controversial theories regarding why the world works the way it does, but the score board doesn't lie. Just by the public numbers that are known there are eight people in the world have as much wealth as over 3 billion people. The world is constantly at war and under threat of nuclear war seemingly all the time. Draconian laws have been implemented allowing a massive global surveillance network that spies on your computer, home, social life, and seemingly knows every minute detail of your life. The confluence of these things, especially the monetary system induced poverty, creates a scarcity mentality, which is further hyped with round the clock media showing violence and suffering.
A partial recap of my story
My short hand assessment, other than some really lovely people I've met or created, is that this whole planet is broken, harmful, and wickedly violent. Somedays I wonder if this is a literal hell.
Now, the consequence of this having to do with Steemit is two fold. I remember in my awakening journey there are two deep spells of depression. The first was after 20-30 years of living under one set of beliefs about how the world works and learning the hard way that the world doesn't work the way I thought it did. In my case, and from my sense of things of how it works for others, it starts losing a lot of money. I started a business based on some expectations of the world, government, and environment. What should have been a no brainer failed miserably by the very state I was trusting. I lost a lot of money, but also because of that I had to go searching as to how after paying such close attention to the media, officials, and things that were around me that I could have possibly been wrong.
Mark Twain said "It's easier to fool a man than to convince them they've been fooled." So, I embarked on a multi-year pretty depressing journey to figure out how my smart brain could have possibly been so terribly deceived by this system. So, the first major depression on this journey was really about seeking how could I have been so wrong, and working my way through all that I was taught and paid attention to was just thoroughly false.
So, finding out I was wrong about the world, particularly about the role of this current government as a benevolent force for good in the world was bad and hard. It was pale in comparison to the multi year epic journey trying to figure out how this place actually works. Learning about the Federal Reserve and the system that's guarenteed to enforce and cause poverty. Learning about the massive harm pharmacuetical companies cause. Forcing myself to realize that 2 planes can't collapse 3 buildings at free fall speeds directly into their own footprint on the same day. Then working my way back through history to determine other Orwellian historic falsehoods of epic magnitude. And finally coming to accept that the world is quite literally run by horrible immoral banker criminals and that the scoreboard I was seeing was a direct purposeful result of that.
So, there are two major depressions in my life. Each lasted years. Tack into that the death of my mom, challenges caused by drinking for a while, some failed romances, and difficulty with some jobs and you get a picture of some hardship here.
So, I can share that finding my way to Steemit really took years of journeys, multiple depressions, and a shit ton of hard work to get here.
I think basically all category 1 Steemians have something like that
After multiple months of interacting with Steemians of all types in Discord (we've got about 5,000 of them in PALnet) I've come to the conclusion that we're a group of mostly broken people doing the best we can to survive, find community, find acceptance, find love, and find purpose. There's so much emotional, personal, social, and interpersonal dysfunction it's staggering. We are certainly carving out a digital home, and for many thats at the expense of a terrestrial one.
"Yeah, ok, but what do I do with that @aggroed?"
The plan doesn't change, the course doesn't change, the mantra doesn't change. But we have to learn to integrate it in new ways.
The tack we are sailing is Peace, Abundance, and Liberty.
Those aren't just nouns they are verbs. They have to be practiced and executed on. The truly hard part is that you don't just apply those outward. You have to apply them inwards too. You have to make peace with yourself. You have to give yourself freedom to both experience what you have and still love and forgive yourself for it. You have to alllow yourself an abundance. Hopefully it comes financially too, but you have to allow yourself an abundance of joy, of love, of kindness, of gratitude, and of a worthy life.
That often comes with the mantra of deescalation. These things are hard. Not only do you have to try to deescalate conflicts between you and others, but you have to deescalate conflicts internally as well. You have to pull back the language that you are using to describe yourself and others with an intention of self love, outward love, and forgiveness all around. Forgiveness, doesn't need blindly accepting bad shit being done to you especially as it's on going. You have the right of non-consent for the things that aren't ok, but remember that we're all flawed, fucked up people here (except maybe you category 2 folks...), and we're all struggling to figure out a way to live on this planet, with each other, and most difficult of all; with ourselves.
So, here's my Friday advice
Take a deep breath. Realize that even with your flaws you are a person worthy of love, kindness, and friendship. Try to practice a few acts of everyday kindness and express everyday gratitude.
Chin up. It's hard, but changing the world is like that. I honor you, I respect you, and I love you for trying. I forgive you when you fail. And for the exceptionally hard I honor me, I respect me, I love me for the work that I do. I forgive me when I fail, and I know I'm doing my best to learn and grow and make this place a better world than the one I found.
Relax, smile, and just in your head pick a random person and think "I hope they have a great day today."
Yes it is. That's why we're here to push back the gates of hell.
Would you happen to have a link for that by any chance? I'm interested to hear what the conversation was like.
Gracias.
I wish. I started recording other interviews, but not that one. I played music during that one which forbid me from recording the show.
hell is a state of mind.
heaven is all around us. all we need do is recognize it. once we see it we act different. the more of us that see it, the faster the changes will happen.
namaste
Wow! You literally blew my mind away.I can relate with this,I guess the Good Lord brought us together.Steemit has allowed me to express myself and to get over possibly the greatest conspiracy ever.You are blessed.
Superb post. Your awakening journey is similar to mine. Being fed bullshit for most of my life by well intentioned people, stumbling around in the dark for a few decades, and coming to the same realizations as you. I struggle with what to do about it.
I found out about steemit on youtube. I thank you for this article, great read
Yes finding out the Truth of what is going on in our world is shocking, scary and creates much fear, and those who see the Truth do often feel depressed, what's the point and 'beam me up Scotty!' or one of my favourites is 'get me off this planet now!!'
Great to hear there are so many like minded souls on Steemit, I've visited Discord a few times but not really connected there.
Chatting, sharing and having support is so needed, especially when we feel attacked for sharing and speaking the Truth!
I honour you for sharing openly, we need more of this! Have a Great Day too! :)
Loved your post, I can totally relate to the dissillusionment you experienced and the journey to figure out the truth.
I've come to similar conclusions and whenever my take on the world comes up in different conversations people never realize the amount of work and research I did in pursuit of my current truth and belief.
It's fairly easy to have a conversation about such topics but unless someone else has done the research into the Federal Reserve, 9/11, the banking cartels and the underlying impact they've had on history, it's hard to convey the staggering impact on your life that comes from realization. It's also difficult to explain how you came to those conclusions because there are literally thousands of little details and coincidences that aren't coincidences that ultimately were the threads that once pulled unraveled everything for me. I can often relate the bigger pieces, but for someone else to get the picture fully, they have to unravel the tapestry themselves.
I don't think I even realized how much work that actually was for me until reading your post. It really made me think about the years of research and learning I undertook and why I undertook them in the first place.
That realization only comes through self initiated desire to know. I don't really worry about what people believe, but it can definitely be frustrating when people quickly dismiss your views off handedly without realizing the time, effort and toll it took to come to them. It's so much easier to just believe the narrative, though the truth of things really isn't that hard to uncover, especially in this day and age.
The beautiful thing is that there are more and more of us that do realize the discrepency and by living in alignment with value are bringing more peace, abundance and liberty to the world.
More than a decade ago when I first came to some key realizations there weren't many around me that understood. As the years have gone by I've watched more and more folks come to the same conclusions. As long as there is a drive to understand and platform to share truth, we'll all find our way to a better world.
and of course community can only accelerate that process while at the same time immediately delivering that sense of connection and belonging that we as a species so dearly need.
More are awake now it seems. Hopefully a better world manifests.
brilliant post and worth every penny ! I think you're right. steemian 1 people found steemit in much the same way you did. but I just read a post that @uwelang is quitting and feels he's failed. I was quite gutted to read that because I felt similar recently but was determined not to quit. I really like the steemit community and although I may be often getting $0.30 for my hardest work, best posts original photography and writing, it's not all about the steem dollars. I set up STREET PHOTO on discord recently thanks to the inspiration by @rawbinhutt. Although we only have a few handfuls of members yet, it's lively and growing. and I really like it. I too found out the hard way that the world is run by the few for the even fewer. I thought I'd at least be able to have a comfortable middle income lifestyle. I've worked my ass, legs and balls off to achieve near bankruptcy by the evils machinations of the FINANCIAL CRISIS which pretty much obliterated the previous 8 years hard work of building my business. I'm still recovering from that but it led me to mentoring which is really rewarding and getting sick last year led me to crypto after being interested but not knowing enough to get involved. life is like a wheel, this part feels like the beginning of a new cycle and although I may be tired and recovering from (A few things) i've never been more content and I won't be quitting. I wish I could be more involved with the higher echelons of steemit but I'm too my own flavour so I hope that I continue to find my own level here. There are some brilliant minds and upward souls here and I wish everyone the best of luck. don't give up and if you ever want to ask me a question, I will always do my best to answer it well ! Earth is the place for humans. we're just going through a teenage stage after a shitty childhood.. we will have a good adult life, once we realise (collectively and the hard way) that reality is not all that it seems..
and yes i did upvote my own comment so you'd actually see it ! of course I did upvote the post too.
Inspiring! I will archive this and remind myself to read it whenever I feel like giving up here. Thanks.
never give up ! :)
I belong to the second category of steemians. However, I have made friends here in a short while.
Practising act of kindness is one of the sweetest thing to do on earth and on steemit. Greast post @aggroed.
I'm just here to create things and share them with the World. I have fun creating things, movies, paintings, music and Steemit is a great place where I can meet other people who are also creating things. Trying to bring a little joy, laughter, and Light into this broken world. Transform the Darkness into LIGHT ....
I guess, more strictly, if you're right, it would still be more correct to phrase it as "that could spy on your computer, that could know every detail..". I.e., if someone bothers to access it. There can be only so many people checking on the computers and lives of billions of other people. They'd need to have a reason to check you out. Not enough manpower.
Although I disagree with some points, like the Twin Towers for instance, still I get your main point. I've been on steemit a few months now, and I already see that people with "psychological issues" are overrepresented here. I don't mean the term in a bad way. These are mostly good people (or so I'd like to think) that life has treated unfairly.
And I also share your disappointment with the world, the evilness in it, etc. It does seem like a hell sometimes, as many have observed. And not just for humans. Just watch the first episode of the Planet Earth II series. It's dog eat dog out there. Again, nothing new, we've known forever how nature works, but somehow even old knowledge can be interpreted in new ways as we grow older.
Well, at least you escaped the bog and, like your avatar, transformed yourself! Hopefully it'll happen for us too someday.
brova @aggroed
Awesome post @aggroed
"Mark Twain said "It's easier to fool a man than to convince them they've been fooled." So, I embarked on a multi-year pretty depressing journey to figure out how my smart brain could have possibly been so terribly deceived by this system." --- I know exactly what you mean. My multi-year journey began in October of 2008 with the 'financial crisis.' I should post about this at some point, thank you for the inspiration.
"Peace, Abundance, and Liberty,... those are verbs." I agree whole heartedly!! Love your neighbor.
Very good love
Thank you aggroed for warm words to all steemeans :) I will be able to smile and chill out only after my working day will finish. Today is a hard day for me, I need to do a lot of stuff, but I am sure I will manage it. It's good there are good people like you who share their love and positive attitude to the life.
"It's easier to fool a man than to convince them they've been fooled.", Twain is the best, I watch everything about him I can, great 4 hr PBS doc on him. Good take on Steemians, kind of having a bummer Friday, but I will try to chin up! (-:
I agree with everything you said. Cheers
Beautiful talk! Thank u:)
Wonderful post @aggroed. Thank you very much for sharing this, it really hits home.
Mark Twain has said a lot of awesome quotes which are spot on most of the time and this quote also correctly explains the situation.
the earth is broken and we can heal through connection - i value your thoughts here - rock on - upvoted
I love your work mate
You are helping me and many other Minnows
You are working hard to bring people together
And that means to me that you are a true lover of Friendship, Peace Abundance and Liberty
Keep it up
I think Mark Twain was a genius who knew very well human weakness and unfortunately we can observe it around us. Good words and interesting post. Up
good post and interesting
good post, something good to read in the morning
Beautiful sentiments. I was invited here by @stellabelle last year and it was through trying to heal my traumas through writing that we met and briefly published some work about it together, PSYCHEDELIC HEALING SAVED ME FROM A MONSTER that she brilliantly illustrated. Forever grateful for that. You've given me some ideas to write for healing :) Thank you.
Thanks for the uplifting words for someone new like me, I know I have many flaws but trying my best to be kind and understanding to all. I hope to find my niche and place on this platform.
Hey, my name is Nadine and I am new on Steemit. Maybe you can check out my post as well and follow back. Thank you :-)
https://steemit.com/travel/@leo-tmp/crazy-bamboo-rafting-in-chiang-mai-thailand-my-travel-diary
I really like your post great :-)
Very, VERY rarely (less than one in a billion, according to the Bhagavad Gita), a fully self-realized person appears on this planet, who never suffers such setbacks. Nearly all of us MUST experience some "dark night of the soul" to make any kind of spiritual progress, but particularly in cultures touched by "the West" (nearly everywhere in the world now) the fact that such experience is not pleasurable leads to a motivation to avoid such depression, inner conflict, and suffering.
ALL of it could be turned to our benefit, but we aren't taught and given the tools of meditation and self-examination very early in life to enable this; that is very uncomfortable for most parents to consider. and diametrically opposed to the central cultural ethos and practices of nearly all societies, so they are considered fodder for senior academic pursuits in philosophy, ethics, morality, etc.
Your posts give me as many emotions as the books of Stephen R. Covey and Paulo Coelho. Thank you for your energy!
very sad and inspirational story . I wish you luck :)
I thought of an articulate, on-message response to this with the whole kindness, generosity, gratitude, teamwork, patience, perseverance, service leads to peace, abundance & liberty message I promote on MNMS on the waves, but I backed out of that whole diatribe....
because I just want to say thank you for the last 94 days, and the last 24 hours and the next 40 years of our lives, brother. And you know exactly why.
<3
your partner in time.
-c
awww what an amazing post. Thank you for sharing your struggles.. we all face them, failure is hard to accept, but the beauty of it is it sent you on this journey, and from it you learned. :)
"You have to make peace with yourself. You have to give yourself freedom to both experience what you have and still love and forgive yourself for it. You have to alllow yourself an abundance."- I couldn't agree more. Self love is so important to finding happiness. :)
We all have some story why we joined Steemit. Only small part is money, in the end not for the money, it's because it is fair to share money with users and taking all for yourself like Facebook etc.
Must admit your words 'broken heart' hit me big time. I even started to cry. Uuuuhhhh many reasons for that... I wanted to make post about it, but that is super hard to me. Started typing it here in the comment, but I just can't do it. Must admit my persception about people is the most of them will judge and don't care, so I usually choose to leave my pain for myself.
Thanks for sharing your inner feelings.
Well that was just super fucking beautiful...brought a tear to my eye actually. Thanks for pouring your heart out like that!
Interesting point, I am definitely category 1 and no stranger to bouts of depression!!! Life is hard and sometimes you get tired of merely hanging on by your teeth. But a supportive community helps, and especially when you realise you are not alone.
yeah, definitely a type 1 steemian, here. ;-) thanks though, i seem a little less strange now...
Aeon flux show- whatever does not kill us makes us stranger.
Your awakening sounds similar to one that I went through. My trigger was Ron Paul and the movie America: Freedom to Fascism. Now I try to stay out of the fray and practice nonviolence in my thoughts and actions. I hope YOU have a great day today brother.
This... was lovely. Thank you, Aggy.
I don't really have words beyond that.
This is beautiful !
Good will ultimately win when all this is said and done. God himself has promised us this. We can choose to be a part of this coming perfect world or not.
I always visit your blog because you inspires me. Do what you do. Thank you very much for sharing inspiring content.
The possibilities of Steemit are amazing; turning them into realilites is proving trickier. I feel like I'm moving the right direction, just not fast enough.
Thanks for the motivation!
+1 Thank you, nice essay.
You are welcome to follow me here on Steemit and on YouTube. I make a nice amount of extra income selling Thrifted items on eBay...how much I make depends on how much I work it and what cool stuff I find...I Post here and I vlog the Hauls & Solds and the journey of a Thrifty ReSeller... you don't even need money to start, you can begin by selling stuff from around your home or ask Friends & Fam to donate items .... List It, Sell it, repeat :)
I have seen your name on Discord but this is my first opportunity to read your blog. I completely identify with you. Your story sounds like my story. That's really freaky. I have to disagree. We are not broken. We are exactly the way we should be. I think people like " us " feel a little deeper than most. This is not a defect, its an asset. Our pain and struggle were our gifts. We needed these experiences in order to evolve. The best part is that our experience can now benefit everyone around us. We have the power to affect everyone around us and we have chosen to use that power for a worthy purpose. We used to live in the matrix, we chose to live in reality.
Waking up to the reality of how our world really works can be a overwhelming experience, especially when you suffer at the hand of the system you trusted. We're the lucky ones though. We have the opportunity to use this unique platform to try to make a positive change for future generations. Whether we live long enough to witness it is another thing but that's ok. As long as we do everything we can while we can to affect positive change we can go to our graves knowing that one day everyone will know the truth and we did our part.
everything exist in your brain, so you can choose at which way you look at this world. Failure is another form of learning. Its like Ying and Yang. There is and always will be a good and a bad site. Also nature has his beauty and rough sites.
I find life just the opposite. I push forward, I keep my thinking toward saying I can. There's nobody who can feel sorry for me. I'm all alone. I'm the strongest person to take care of me. I don't need to pick random people to hope they have a great day. That thought pattern does absolultely nothing for the random person, but may lead the thinker to believe they are doing something good. How could you be doing good when your wishes or thoughts only live within your mind. You can use those same thoughts to wish something good on yourself. When you concentrate on yourself and that thought process becomes addicting, you naturally begin to help other people think like you do. Yes you will teach them to think of others. But, ultimately, you will conclude they need to steer their engeries to themselves. Never has self implicator, and self complainer, a chronic bad attitude ever result from trying to make yourself better from your own thoughts. It's only when you begin to worry about others before you have taken care of yourelf that you will fall down with them.