Well said mate. I know when I was depressed it was bloody hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel, and I also felt that I didn't have the energy to do anything about it. Super brave of you for sharing mate and your parents would be very proud of you and what you're doing for others.
I hadn't seen this post. Glad I stumbled upon it. I wasn't aware of the story about your mum, I'm sorry for your loss, mate.
I couldn't agree with you more though. Particularly this,
"Whilst many of us might not understand how someone can hold this perspective, we have to acknowledge that it feels true to the person who believes it."
IMO, we as a society in general lack empathy. Humans, by nature, are selfish. We don't want to believe in anything that is challenging or inconvenient to us. I think the ideology in lower/middle class Australia of "being a tough prick is the best thing to do" can create a bit of "us vs them" or "fuck 'em all" type attitude and that hinders our ability consider things from other peoples positions. I think we're heading the right direction and as people keep sharing their thoughts the shift in attitude will only snowball.
Thanks for starting R4R and everything else you do mate. Would have been easy for someone in your position to go the other way and wallow in your sadness and allow it to consume you. Bloody brave of you to make the decision you did at such a time and turn such tragic negatives into a huge positive. I know personally that my life is much better since my first R4R. I've met so many people who have helped me so much and I know I am not alone in that.
That doesn't happen without you making those brave choices at a time of such vulnerability.
I appreciate the kind words mate. It's great R4R has helped others and to be honest, it helps me so much too. It's weird to be thanked for something I get so much value out of lol.
Couldn't agree more with what you've said. Empathy is key, even when we can't understand or where we disagree, we have to try to see the other side and accept that someone has arrived at their conclusions for a reason.
It honestly doesn't feel brave to me. I think you kind of touched on it in your recent article in that the alternative isn't an option, or as my Mum summed it up, 'there's no other way to be". It's a mindset I've been lucky enough to have but I think it's a mindset that can be adopted and maintained.
I reckon there’s a couple of reasons why people struggle with it.
One is that, often people don’t bother to learn things until they have to. I’m guilty of it. So people don’t consider things from a different perspective until their hand is forced. Usually by something happening to someone close to them or whatever.
The other I think is people are too proud to accept they were wrong, have considered new information and have changed their view on something. Which is fucking wild, because being wrong about something is one of the most effective ways to learn something!
Well said mate. I know when I was depressed it was bloody hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel, and I also felt that I didn't have the energy to do anything about it. Super brave of you for sharing mate and your parents would be very proud of you and what you're doing for others.
Hey mate,
I hadn't seen this post. Glad I stumbled upon it. I wasn't aware of the story about your mum, I'm sorry for your loss, mate.
I couldn't agree with you more though. Particularly this,
"Whilst many of us might not understand how someone can hold this perspective, we have to acknowledge that it feels true to the person who believes it."
IMO, we as a society in general lack empathy. Humans, by nature, are selfish. We don't want to believe in anything that is challenging or inconvenient to us. I think the ideology in lower/middle class Australia of "being a tough prick is the best thing to do" can create a bit of "us vs them" or "fuck 'em all" type attitude and that hinders our ability consider things from other peoples positions. I think we're heading the right direction and as people keep sharing their thoughts the shift in attitude will only snowball.
Thanks for starting R4R and everything else you do mate. Would have been easy for someone in your position to go the other way and wallow in your sadness and allow it to consume you. Bloody brave of you to make the decision you did at such a time and turn such tragic negatives into a huge positive. I know personally that my life is much better since my first R4R. I've met so many people who have helped me so much and I know I am not alone in that.
That doesn't happen without you making those brave choices at a time of such vulnerability.
So thank you, mate. Heaps.
Cheers.
I appreciate the kind words mate. It's great R4R has helped others and to be honest, it helps me so much too. It's weird to be thanked for something I get so much value out of lol.
Couldn't agree more with what you've said. Empathy is key, even when we can't understand or where we disagree, we have to try to see the other side and accept that someone has arrived at their conclusions for a reason.
It honestly doesn't feel brave to me. I think you kind of touched on it in your recent article in that the alternative isn't an option, or as my Mum summed it up, 'there's no other way to be". It's a mindset I've been lucky enough to have but I think it's a mindset that can be adopted and maintained.
I reckon there’s a couple of reasons why people struggle with it.
One is that, often people don’t bother to learn things until they have to. I’m guilty of it. So people don’t consider things from a different perspective until their hand is forced. Usually by something happening to someone close to them or whatever.
The other I think is people are too proud to accept they were wrong, have considered new information and have changed their view on something. Which is fucking wild, because being wrong about something is one of the most effective ways to learn something!