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At risk of sounding like a "I'm 14 and this is deep" kind of statement, I was thinking like, "If you were in hell, would the devil really say 'mwahaha, this is hell, suffer' or would he insist to you the whole time that it's heaven and you're taking it for granted."
I don't mean it as a literal theology question for people who believe in that stuff, but I think about it in relation to the US. I know there are worse places to be in terms of quality of life, such as some of the most imperialized nations, but the US may have the most intense contrast between propaganda that says "we're the best" and what the day to day is actually like. A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck but are told it's the greatest country or the like. People's options are narrowed by the limits of transportation (heavy reliance of cars), the intense competition of jobs, etc., while having a vast industry and culture of motivation "if you believe it, you can achieve it" kind of hype that is almost never about utilizing logistics or working together or leaning on each other (presumably cause that stuff is a bit too close to scary socialism, wooo). A lot of people are lonely and struggle to make friends outside of work, college, etc., but are told be an island unto themselves (in whatever variety of words you can think of).
In short, although USian people are broadly, as far as I'm aware, not starving ~yet~ (not saying there isn't anyone who is, just in the broader sense), they are probably broadly emotionally starved, communally starved, and other such forms of basic human needs that are less immediately obvious, but nevertheless part of any healthy society. But the solutions to these things would no doubt threaten the dam of anti-communism, so people get gaslighted about how good they have it instead and get fed constant narratives about how to be a better individual. Like imagine if you were actually literally starving and the ones with power over food, who can bring in an abundance of it, were telling you that you need to do these certain rituals to improve your appetite, so you can be strong with less food. It's such a bizarre "country" when you put it in perspective.
Edit: I feel like I posted something very similar to this in the past and I don't know if I'm actually remembering, or if it's just that the same general criticisms are very familiar. Maybe I need to touch grass lol.
I can tell you this, as a lifelong USian who has only been out of the country 2x (Scotland, and Canada)-- every time I see someone suffering on the news-- someone like, in Palestine, or the like-- I feel very bad for them but I also notice how they have family and friends surrounding them weeping with them. I am jealous of them for that. That's how isolated I am here as a leftist; no friends/family that I can even talk to here in the deep south. Not a single person I have met in this entire city I can talk to except on discord; and they can't even come to town to meet (too poor to afford a car). Talk about isolation, it's horrible. I am too poor to just move somewhere where I might find like minds and make community. I keep thinking about going backpacking across the US but I haven't got the courage up yet. I'm building up my fitness and saving up for camping gear, it's my last chance at finding someone somewhere I feel. Even when I lived in San Fran, Chicago, NYC etc the story was the same. Nothing but Liberals in the spaces I frequented. During the BLM protests I was participating in my ex (this is why she's my ex) said "I dont mind you going to those protests but DON'T BRING ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE HOME WITH YOU" -- this from a polish Jew from Argentina whose mom (a holocaust survivor) we'd just buried. Fuck me but it's lonely out here as an anarcho-communist
I'm sorry you deal with that. Personally, I don't have it quite that bad in terms of isolation, but ideologically, it is similar. I'm the odd one out in people I'm closest to, having the views I do. And though I'm with some family, it doesn't feel how I expect it would in a culture that intrinsically values family and community. I don't want to get into too much personal detail about it here, but I'm sure you are familiar with the nuclear family standard of how things are in the US. To the point that ones who stick around family more and longer are probably the odd ones, compared to most other cultures. So instead of feeling comforted by it, at this point in my life I more just feel like there's something wrong with me.
But yeah, I think the impact of loneliness is underestimated sometimes and emotional pain is a real kind of pain. Not that it's a competition who is suffering more or less and in what ways, but just that it is something to recognize as a real harm that's being done.
Oh and best of luck with your backpacking goal.
Yeah. I was abused by my nuclear family my entire life with the exception of the times I got away for a few years (college, army)-- but they always drew me back in again. My mentors all died; I suppose they'd had enough of life and gave up the fight. My nice brother and nice sister both died (Aids/brain tumor respectively) from capitalism. It's just... you know, frustrating to live under capitalism knowing exactly what is going on. Truly harsh. best of luck to you as well.
That's a lot to go through, I'm sorry. And thank you, may we all find our way to a more communal, loving society.