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[UpRiverGreg]

Now that covid seems to (hopefully!) be coming to an end, and also that its been roughly a year since all this craziness began, I’d be interesting to hear about the effects it has had on everyone.

Would you say your mindset is better or worse, the same or wholly different since a year ago?

[UpRiverSpencer]

okay so,

My buddy and I went for a walk to pick up some food from the butcher yesterday. It was sunny, people were ooot and about (as we say in Canada). Started off great. Guys in shorts and tanktops and girls in dresses. However, as we got to the busier streets, it started to get kind of weird. I felt like I really didn’t enjoy seeing people so close to each other. On top of that, when someone used to bump into you on the road, it wouldn’t be a huge deal. Now its like “WHOA WTF GUY, 6 FEET, DIPSHIT.” Really weird.

Anyway, I was actually talking to that friend about it, and he had said “this is kind of weird because it feels like we’ve been socially conditioned to hate groups and not like being anywhere near more than a few people…”

We talked more and we kind of came to the following more optimistic conclusion:

It took us a year(ish), to be conditioned to really not like being around people. So, hopefully, in a year(ish), we will be back to normal and not mind it so much. Additionally, what we DO have going for us, is – as Aristotle famously said – humans are discursive and political beings. Perhaps our inherent natures will lend themselves to congregating more readily than we were conditioned to fear and resist it…

Of course there is the argument that some people – and potentially the majority of people – may never take the steps to meet in assembly again, as COVID etc. has scared that away from doing so. This would for sure be worst case scenario socially and culturally speaking, but if we agree with Aristotle, this is an unlikely reality.

SO to answer your query, sir… I definitely did feel a mental shift going into crowds again. BUT, there was an element of excitement and optimism about what our world will once again return to. I feel as though we, as humans, ought to consciously attempt to see each other again (once this becomes legal or whatever), and that this is important for the social fabric and personal health of all people. For those who find it extra difficult so do so (assuming it is safe for you to do so), I’m not a doctor or anything, but I would encourage people to treat it like a phobia: slowly but surely take steps to confront the fear and get over it – no rush, and in your own time.

TIP: if you want to use this new anxiety for good as quickly as possible, consider reading THIS article: https://projectupriver.com/aversion-therapy/

Hope that helps, and good luck out there! Stay happy and healthy. Peace!

[UpRiverMatt]

I like the take Spencer, I’ve noticed when seeing a movie or a picture from a couple years ago with a crowd or group of people – something that was always considered normal – there’s a weird aversion. It’s unhealthy to be adverse to other people and I think as a whole, people have been worn down by all of the forced isolation and just want to be able to live their lives again. Of course this makes sense, as Spencer points out that it is natural for human beings to collect together. I like the reasoning that in a year we can adjust back to having a healthy mindset towards socializing again, though I think it will take several years since we’re not out of the woods yet with restrictions unfortunately.

I, personally, have become a lot more cynical because I am confronted daily with the fact that our society is rampant with corruption and lies, including everything around covid. I won’t go into things more than that here, but suffice to say I have grown very, very sick of the way things are run. My reaction kind of reminds me of how George Carlin (the comedian) started to call himself an observer of society rather than a participator in it since he saw how corrupted it was and felt morally unable to be a part of it. I’d recommend checking some of his performances out. If truth and justice would emerge triumphant on the world stage, I’d be a lot happier.

That’s been my reaction to things over the last year, though things don’t get better when you stay in a bad mindset. And, things aren’t all negative. Sometimes it takes a lot of bad to motivate change, which is something we’re sorely in need of. Something that makes me happy is that millions of others are in the same boat as me, sick of the lies, and ready to change things. Just like Michael Jackson would say, I’m looking at the man in the mirror. People keep on waiting for the world to change, but it doesn’t work. Taking a stand for something positive as an individual (rather than being cynical about what’s negative) is what helps my mindset most, so that’s where I’m trying to take it. Whenever I practice a piece of advice from UpRiver, I get step closer to that – especially nailing down my habits and meditating.

I’d be down to make this a continuing discussion, rather than stopping at the usual two replies if you guys are interested.

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