How do you "keep the faith?" (in humanity)

I'm somewhat new to ATS, I found it early this year, and I haven't often taken advantage of the search feature. I mostly read new threads.

Now that I have gotten better at picking out what will actually interest me and what I feel can provide relevant knowledge, I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable with starting my own threads here. Most searches for topics that I would consider starting a thread about return a long list of previous threads about the same subject.

When I read through them, I see so many people who want to bury their head in the sand, offer nonsensical counter arguments, and do anything and everything in their power to deny the truth. Usually this has a direct correlation to the subject going against something they have always enjoyed or indulged in, in one way or another.

When you feel passionately about a topic, how do you keep from losing your desire to inform people? If people constantly respond with "I'm just fine and I....", "People have been doing that for years...", etc, how do you keep from getting completely cynical and thinking that people deserve whatever they get?

When I try to bring up anything I've learned to people in RW/RT, from fluoride to Monsanto to NWO, they look at me like I'm a complete nutcase and I'm suggesting something incredibly foul and stupid.

How can you combat the notions that ignorance is bliss, go with the flow, etc? I was raised on things like School House Rock, G.I. Joe, etc. Knowledge is power, knowing is half the battle, right? Why does it seem like it's such a losing battle?

I will admit that a lot of the things I have learned in my adult life do feel like a stain on my brain that it would be nice to wash off. I once told a Buddhist friend of mine that I believe that almost all people can be categorized as "Wolf","Sheep", or "Shepherd" to varying degree. He said that was ridiculously oversimplifying things, but I don't really think so.

Is it possible to move from sheep to shepherd while denying the desire to become neutral, and therefore a wolf by default?

[edit on 27-10-2008 by maus80]

[edit on 27-10-2008 by maus80]

Originally posted by maus80
When you feel passionately about a topic, how do you keep from losing your desire to inform people? If people constantly respond with "I'm just fine and I....", "People have been doing that for years...", etc, how do you keep from getting completely cynical and thinking that people deserve whatever they get?

For me, I DO sometimes get completely cynical and think people deserve what they get. There is sometimes the occasional person who will come back and say "boy, you were right about this or that" and instead of gloating, I just try to keep the conversation going and point them to a place for more info, once that spark has been lit. Accepting that many just will not get it comes with the territory. I guess you have to in many ways not give a damn what others think of you also, which has never been a problem for me.

Originally posted by maus80
When I try to bring up anything I've learned to people in RW/RT, from fluoride to Monsanto to NWO, they look at me like I'm a complete nutcase and I'm suggesting something incredibly foul and stupid.

How can you combat the notions that ignorance is bliss, go with the flow, etc? I was raised on things like School House Rock, G.I. Joe, etc. Knowledge is power, knowing is half the battle, right? Why does it seem like it's such a losing battle?

People ARE waking up. Every day when more and more people see the results of these "foul and stupid" things right in front of their faces, it becomes hard to deny. Will those people educate themselves? Is it too late? That is where things get weird. People spend huge amounts of money to go to college and end up dumber than if they hadn't gone at all in some cases Some-not all!). That was an active decision. Will they make an active decision to research topics that they see coming to fruition? Many do not and that astounds me. ATS has helped me to DIGEST much of the information I do research and that is the tricky part.

Trust me, as time goes on, you will look less and less "crazy" My family specifically always thought I was "out there", a "foily" is what they called me. Not any more. I think you might be surprised how many people do think about some of these things but just have no way of expressing their thoughts due to repression, stigma etc...they don't want to be labeled as a "foily" so they keep quiet.

Originally posted by maus80
Is it possible to move from sheep to shepherd while denying the desire to become neutral, and therefore a wolf by default?

I think it definitely is possible, but what matters is already in your heart. I think you really have to care for humanity as a whole, not just select family and friends. If you are going to get into "global" conspiracies, suffering and problems that affect every single person on the planet, whether they are aware of them or not, you've got to have a "global" empathy for humankind.

To answer the question in your title, I keep my faith with lot's of prayer. I admit, there have been many days lately when I don't even know where to start and the feelings of doom do affect me, but I continue the next day, and the next, and the next. Not only do I pray for others, but for my own perceptions, discernment and protection, in hopes that I do not become the wolf that you speak of. I dislike bringing religious beliefs into any discussion on here, because it seems such a personal thing, but you asked

Is it a constant struggle with negativity and thinking I may have been better off not knowing some things? Do I often kick myself for being a truth seeker? YOU BET! Absolutely! I sometimes look at sheeple and think "it must be so nice to not be aware" but that is just SO not me. Never was. I have to follow who I am and continue to learn and try to understand all the craziness, all the while knowing I never will. That's the part that drives me nuts. No resolution.

[edit on 10/27/2008 by shockedonlooker]

Seriously I keep my faith intact by getting off the damn computer and going for a walk, inevitably I find myself doing something nice for someone else (which is nice for me as well). Even just passing a smile or a hello, offering a seat to someone, chipping in at the store if someone's a few $$ short, helping someone if they fall, carrying a neighbors groceries home.. or just taking some pretty pictures and sharing them with my BF after he's had a crap day at work.

Faith is as faith does. I don't think it's a mere word...I think it's an action.

Doing something nice for yourself is a great thing too.

I used to make lists of positives on really bad days where I felt totally beaten down. Sounds kinda hokey I suppose but I discovered nothing is truly negative if you are willing to look deeper.

This can easily be applied to some of the "turds" that post here...take their negativity and fnd the positives...they are there somewhere.

[edit on 10/27/2008 by justgeneric]

reply to post by shockedonlooker


Thanks for the advice and the great response, I really appreciate it.

I can see how that one person once in a while would help cancel out the rest, but so far virtually everyone that I've tried to share what I considered valuable information with has either told me I'm nuts, or somewhat agreed but not done anything with the information.

If any of what I learn is ever good for anything, for myself or someone I care about, maybe it will help turn my negative feelings around.

reply to post by justgeneric


Great advice, thank you. I've tried that, I started volunteering at the Salvation Army store in my town. It hasn't worked so far, it gets me really upset.

They send the shoes that can't be sold to other countries, and I'm forever catching people trying to throw them away, because they are "ugly" or some other bs. It makes me mad.

They get old bread and donuts from the local supermarkets and put them on a table near the door. Large people come in and try to carry out huge handfuls until it is gone, then it never fails some little old lady comes in and looks heartbroken that the table is empty.
A few weeks ago I actually saw a large man wrestle a box of donuts out of an old woman's hands, it disgusted me beyond belief.

As you can see, I'm not that great at finding the "positive side" in things. I really appreciate the advice though and I know it's something I definitely need to work on.

I totally agree with everything justgeneric said, especially since I am in a long time relationship with a person who I love dearly, but has become very toxic to me. A psychic vampire is the term I've heard for it. Can be a lonely road, it's easy to have your energy and good intentions sapped and you end up drained. It's important to know how pick yourself up if there are not people in your life to help do that when you're down. It's great to serve others, don't forget to serve yourself too, for me it's a matter of survival!

You are setting an example and there WILL be people who see great qualities in you and want to follow your lead. When, who and where is unknown. Don't stop, you'll be pleasantly surprised...not by what you can do for others, but by how much you can grow by helping others.

Difficult thing to learn is to shield yourself from the "downers" and "takers" and grow a tough skin. If a person is being extra ugly, I let them know my kindness has limits, I've become bolder that way. Maybe that's a defense mechanism I've developed in relationship with my significant other. I think I would have jacked the donuts outta the large guys arms, handed him one package and told him the rest are for others. Nobody wants to be THE ONE to do it, but maybe I'm sick, cuz I would have gotten a kick out of it Being kind and caring has a strange flip side of letting people know limits or they will take advantage of kindness, to the DISadvantage of other people in need and negates your intent to help.

Zip me a U2U if you ever want to chat about it.

[edit on 10/28/2008 by shockedonlooker]

LOL shocked! I feel for ya. My current BF is an absolute doll however he does seem to have a propensity to expect the worst.

I let him do his thing while I do mine and slowly, bit by bit he's starting to see how FINDING good in what is viewed as negative is possible and has rewards.

He's the sort that will stub his toe in the morning getting ready for and proclaim that as the harbinger of doom for the remainder of the day. I tease him a lot about it.

It is something I have learned to do, it is a skill not an inherent trait. Human's have to learn positivity we're not born with it in fact the opposite.

I have a problem with dysthemia (long running depression) so it has to be an everyday practice for me. I'm not always successful but pretty good at about it about 90% of the time.

He doesn't drain me because I understand all too well where he is emotionally and how he got there. He learns and he does make attempts when I call him on it. It's really a minor thing I figure seeing as I have an over-abundance of optimism - enough for for a few hundred LMAO.

Some though sink into the despair and they do drag other down. Slowly.

It's a mmatter of being happy with yourself first and then in turn being able to pass that on to those willing (key word is willing) to accept and consider your help/support.

I love my BF and it really is minor that he's a bit of a grump...he's chalk full of a lot of positives

It's so hard to see positives these days, death disease deformities and the general breakdown of community and family.

In all of that though there can be found positives...just alter the perspective a bit and they are they.

I'm grateful for everyday I can wake up and not feel so "blah" that I want to crawl back into bed, so pretty much everyday when I make it out of bed, I know it's gonna be alright

You have... faith in humanity?

Boy, are you in for a shock.

Originally posted by Astyanax
You have... faith in humanity?

Boy, are you in for a shock.

What I meant was more along the lines of "faith that humanity is worth caring about", and I'm still on the fence.