America died for me on 11/5.

[Funtatlaguy]

My joy is gone
My hope is gone
I’m not suicidal because I don’t believe in it.
Besides anything that truly mattered to me is no longer attainable. I will merely exist until death comes.
I hate America and Americans.

Sorry to be such a bummer on Christmas 🎅
But it is what it is.

[LoisB]

1. Don't hate all of us. I do understand what you're saying.

[bottomofthehill]

32. Don't hate all of us is Damn Skippy right. Don't hate America

By the numbers. There was a 64% voter turnout out. Trump got less than 50% of the total vote so 32 percent of eligible voters voted for him. Hardly a landslide…. Further, there are roughly 330 million people so well less than 25 percent of all Americans voted for Trump. You are part of the 75 percent of Americans that were not Trump supporters. Turnout was down in democratic strongholds, California, Oregon, Washington, Illinois’s ,New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts…..Democrats should have carried the popular vote but apathy in places where people don’t feel their vote matters hurt.

A further part of the problem with your post (please don’t take this as a personal attack as it is a statement or sentiment unfortunately ascribed to Democrats) is the we hate America narrative. There is no place I would rather live. We had a shitty election cycle, we can fix it in the next cycle, there are many places where you can not. When “we” say I hate America and I hate Americans it only digs the hole deeper for us to dig out of regain the majority and appeal to the center.

[LoisB]

34. I think your second paragraph was intended for the original poster (not me) but you are

100% correct. Too many people didn't show up which I do not understand at all.

[bottomofthehill]

38. Sorry, fat thumbs and brain freeze

Luis, in my brain I ran the top two posts into one. But the feeling remains. There is no place I would rather be and we have to work to fix this.

[LoisB]

45. No worries. I knew who you were talking to. I can't imagine living anywhere else either and

yes, we have to work to fix this.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. That's no way to live. Nothing is worth you being miserable like that. Talk to your doctor about depression.

[Funtatlaguy]

4. I'm not depressed. Just realistic.

Thanks for the concern.
I know what depression is.
This is worse. There is no cure for the loss of your faith and appreciation for humanity.
This country deserves a painful death.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. Thinking there's nothing attainable and that "merely existing" is the best you can do is definitely depression.

If you think it's not, try helping someone else. As long as you're here, you can help somebody.

[Funtatlaguy]

7. I do help others daily but with no joy.

My absence of joy and hope is not a depressing thing.
It’s my coping mechanism of acceptance of what is our new Reality.
A country that values cruelty.

[hlthe2b]

9. Well, maybe you haven't chosen the best way for you to be with others... I don't diminish what you are feeling

but I challenge you to do something that might just give back a bit to you as well. Spend the day after Christmas or a few days later volunteering at your neighborhood animal shelter. That might be a start. Or visiting the residents who had no visitors at a nursing home. Or if people and volunteering are not the best thing right now, just get outside and move about. Enjoy nature for a bit.

I am feeling much of what you describe, but I am not giving in. If nothing else, my doggy girl depends on me--as do quite a few two-legged types. I hope you can find your meaning and keep going. The future looks bleak but it remains unknowable, so it could still surprise you.

[Funtatlaguy]

13. Funny you say that.

My dog is amazing.
Dogs are better than people
But that only reminds me how bad most people are.
I should have deleted my post.
After rereading it, I can see where some thought it was a cry for help or suggestions.
Sorry for that.
It wasn’t.
Was just stating MY new normal.

[hlthe2b]

14. I get it.

[LSparkle]

35. Me too

I’m trying to manage my expectations so I don’t get further hurt.

[spapeggy]

10. That's really all any of us do is merely exist

Does somebody live a more authentic or fulfilling life if they see the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal or Grand Canyon before they die?

[electric_blue68]

58. Welcome newbie! Must disagree on the travel thing, though. Not "more authentic", but Meaningful to me...

As a lover of Nature, and various types of deep countryside (as well as interesting to me cities), Architecture, Art, Science...

I was lucky enough in my earlier life (mid-late 20s) to make enough money (I think I was still doing very specialized work) to gift myself 2 big vacations by bus two summers in a row.
I did see The Grand Canyon, a place I fell in love w (photos) by the time I was about 12 yrs old. Magical, magnificent!

Decades later I was unexpectedly(!) gifted a trip to relatives in Switzerland for 3 weeks to make art w my aunt. And she took me, and a granddaughter to Paris for several days! They'd been there before, so I went off to see The Effiel Tower at least from street level at the base. Architectural marvel!

People usually have a mix of lucky, and unlucky experiences in their lives. Along with efforts they made, and help they've sometimes received.

And, yeah, if it's meaningful to a person then it is personally fulfilling.

Nothing wrong w that.

[RiverStone]

44. We fought against slavery. We fought for the women's vote!

As much as I hate that the orange fascist won, as a country we've come back from much worse.

We fought like hell to defeat slavery, and ultimately give African Americans the right to vote. We faught like hell to give women the right to vote.

Those rights were not won with apathy.

Unfortunately, we will have to fight like hell again to protect the civil rights and individual freedoms of all of us.

I'm not giving up!

[claudette]

3. Me too

It will
Never ever be the same

[2naSalit]

6. I'm not hateful...

But I do have a lingering sense of severe disgust, the taint from which I will likely never recover.

[J_William_Ryan]

8. America died when Reagan was elected.

We continue to live in Reagan’s legacy of fear, ignorance, stupidity, racism, bigotry, and hate.

A twice-elected Trump is proof of that.

[Turbineguy]

11. Surviving trump2 is the best revenge.

I'm going to try that.

[Beastly Boy]

12. Billions of people around the world have lived their entire lives without ever experiencing your hope and joy.

And they all live and work for what's attainable. They don't merely exist. Literally billions of them.

Consider yourself fortunate for having experienced what none of them ever will.

[Raine]

15. There is plenty of joy and hope in this world

don't shut yourself off from it. Look around, be open to it.

[MadameButterfly]

16. I struggle too

with feelings like that. I worry that he'll destroy all my plans and dominate the remaining active years of my life. But am looking for the bigger picture, a deeper more spiritual way of looking at things. Activities I can do, people I can be with that Trump can't control. Healing work to raise my vibration because I don't want to take antidepressants.

My experience is that reality seems worse when I'm depressed, more hopeful when I'm not. It's not just the plain facts. Our outlook colors what we see and how it feels. Also, being a sensitive and compassionate person can make this harder. What is happening is too big a contrast for your heart. The world needs hearts like yours. I hope you can take some comfort in that.

Fearing the worst is not the same as assuming the worst before it happens. Preparing for the worst doesn't make it easier when/if it comes. There may be some surprises. We may have some heros after all. And then why spend our time in a reality that doesn't even come to pass?

I hope you find some answers that work for you.

[Funtatlaguy]

20. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

17. America died in childbirth because its Founders were a bunch of simpletons.

Had they been intelligent, we would not be in this mess. America, bag it and tag it.

[Ocelot II]

31. They weren't simpletons at all; they were trying to construct a government

that could avoid or combat the problems Europe had experienced for centuries and with which they were very familiar, especially religious wars, autocratic monarchs, class structures and the effects of feudalism. England was still recovering from the civil wars of the 17th century and its revolving-door monarchy, which by 1776 was controlled by a king who was certifiably nuts. If you'd ever actually read the Federalist Papers you'd know that these were not stupid people. But they were dealing with issues pertinent to the times they knew of and were living in. If it were possible for the smartest among us to start from scratch now and design a new system that works for our time, it would certainly be different. But 250 years from now, would that system and its designers also be considered stupid if the system couldn't deal effectively with whatever had transpired since it was created?

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

43. Prior to 2016/17, I might have agreed with some of what you're saying.

WIth the way events have unfolded in the past number of years, especially regarding laws of the land, I think the founders were very shortsighted, and missed the mark. It remains to be seen after Jan 20th if Presidents are not kings.

[Initech]

18. I felt the same way on election night that I did on 9/11.

We are under attack. And this time, the enemy is in the United States. It's billionaires and megachurch pastors who weaponized propaganda to trick the masses into voting against their best interests.

[chouchou]

19. I was EXTREMELY surprised when I heard the HumanGarbageMan actually won.

I ..and many other people..thought that it was an error or a horrible joke.
Silly, Stupid Girl-Me couldn't believe that so many Americans ARE Trump.
I do try to put it in a corner of my mind but..Yeah..I understand.

[Funtatlaguy]

21. We are who I feared we are.

[chouchou]

41. Your words are true. Reminds me of a good book I once read: "I have no mouth and I must scream"

[CrispyQ]

22. "No matter how cynical I am, I can't keep up." -Lily Tomlin

I'm somewhat of a pessimistic misanthrope so I know exactly how you feel. When I'm overwhelmed with negativity like I am now, I tell myself it's okay to just take care of your own little corner of the world & forget the rest for awhile. Humor helps, too, so don't pass by those TOON posts!

[Ping Tung]

23. I'm with Tom Paine on that love/hate relationship.

“My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.” Thomas Paine

[JohnSJ]

24. I am not despondent, I am pissed and angry, and will never view America in

a positive light, probably again.

[yardwork]

25. Sorry you feel that way.

Humans have endured a lot and survived.

[Midwestern Democrat]

56. Agreed. When I think of all the real misery in this world - like 10 year old children in Ethiopia who weigh 20 pounds

and have to eat mud cakes - I don't have much patience with posts like the OP. Donald Trump being president sucks, but .... there are a lot worse fates than being a comfortable American having to endure Trump being president.

[Sneederbunk]

26. We don't need you dying. We need you fighting.

[EdmondDantes_]

27. Would you say Germany died in the 1930s?

Or Japan in that same time? What about when we had slavery or women couldn't vote?

The great thing about being alive is you have the chance to make changes. Go out and volunteer, go for a hike, meditate, travel even just for a weekend. People on the other side said the same thing about Biden getting elected or Obama, people here said the same thing about Bush being reelected.

Progress is almost never linear. Just because we barely lost this election going up against horrible economic headwinds doesn't mean writing the whole thing off will help.

[StarryNite]

28. I never felt this bad when any Republican got elected or

reelected. This is way different. Even the Republican party which I always loathed is now dead. This is MAGA and it's literally killing our democracy. As for when we had slavery or women couldn't vote...it appears that could once again be our future. Or perhaps we will be able to vote but like in all authoritarian governments our vote won't mean a thing. It will all be for show to give the appearance that we have a say when we actually won't because we will be living under a dictator beginning on day one.

[Funtatlaguy]

36. This election exposed the hearts of many Americans.

Including many that I used to love, like, and admire.
I now know who and what they are. And “deplorable” isn’t nearly a strong enuf word.

[LSparkle]

37. John McCain, Mitt Romney ... I could have taken them

This is way different.

[Nictuku]

29. I'm exactly where you are at

[The Grand Illuminist]

30. America died well before that.

December 12th, 2000.

[Patton French]

33. If you let Trump do that to you you're letting him win.

No way. Sorry. There will be a tomorrow.

[Botany]

39. It was dirty. Musk and Putin were into the vote data.

Lots of racist, mouth breathing idiots, sexist shits, and Christo Facsists out
there but believe me it was dirty. I don’t know know how but it was very dirty.

Watch how fast they try to push that crypto crap because they were behind putting
Trump into the White House too.

[Ocelot II]

40. I have become cynical in my old age, having realized over time

that America is not, and never was, Reagan's "shining city on a hill." We are not exceptional. We are not special. We are just a very large collection of humans who happen to live on a very large tract of land and have had to figure out how to live together on it and not kill each other. That's how countries work - some better than others. And humans, no matter where they live, can be really nasty creatures, something history should have taught us. We aren't exempt from history. We are just as capable of atrocity and oppression as anyone else. We pat ourselves on the back for America's "greatness," really meaning its prosperity, but the reality is that our prosperity depended in the first instance on stolen labor and stolen land - a fact that is conveniently forgotten when politicians bloviate about American exceptionalism.

So as I have become old and watched the successive American shitstorms of Vietnam, Watergate, gun violence, Iraq, and the Trump cult, my assumptions and my expectations have changed considerably. It does not surprise me all that much that almost half of us think it's OK to have a leader as degenerate and despicable as Trump, who in his dotage is now effectively controlled by a similarly despicable billionaire and a Russian despot. We are in for some strange and bad times. But the cool thing about being a cynic is that you are rarely disappointed. So while I wait for the excrement to impact the airfoils I will continue to enjoy the things I've always enjoyed: Music, art, all the beautiful things that people create even though people also suck; my friends, lakes and trees and birds and sunrises and sunsets, the fact that I'm still alive and kicking and still capable of hope. Cynicism isn't the same as despair.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.

[erodriguez]

42. Seek professional help. DU is not therapy.

Is there anyway to report doomer bs?

[Celerity]

46. You can discuss your issues with what you frame as 'doomer bs' with the OP.

Convince them to agree with you, or at least try. You may be able to do so, but you also may fail.

[yellow dahlia]

47. The day after the election, my best friend said:

I feel like this is the first day of the end of my life.

Says it well.

[mvd]

48. You're not alone

I’m having a very hard time still also. The next 4 years fill me with dread. Even if my personal situation improves, the election will be like a dark cloud.

[Skittles]

49. not dead yet

but with Trump returning, America is definitely circling the drain

He is a fucking DISGRACE and needs to be treated exactly like he is - a pathetic manbaby dicator-wannbe. Looks like the media is kissing his ass which means we will have to fight even harder.

[Funtatlaguy]

50. I admire those of you that will still fight.

I’m just too old.
I gave everything I could and put all of my heart, mind, body and soul into November five.
I have no more to give.
But I really hope those of you who can and will fight find some degree of success.
Trump owns all the levels of power and a complicit media.
This last election meant everything.

[kansasobama]

51. I agree 100%

America has died. 11/5 saw people vote for Trump despite knowing who he is.

[Hugin]

52. I hear you. The conventional wisdom of late seems to be...

1. Vote. (Fat lot of good that’s done for me.)
2. We’ve got to burn the village to save it. (The village MAY return, but most of the original villagers will be long gone. Ergo, it ain’t the same village.)
3: This is normal. ( )
4. Go along to get along. (The most damning of all.)

[Donkees]

53. ''O, let America be America again - The land that never has been yet ...''

America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath
America will be

Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain—
All, all the stretch of these great green states—
And make America again

From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes

Morning Glow By Gale Rainwater

[PennRalphie]

54. I am so sorry

Depression is real. Please try to talk to someone who may be able to help. If you have family and friends, spend time with them. If you have pets, remember, they count on you.

Volunteer. So many organizations need volunteers, especially after the holidays when they’re forgotten.

Engage with your local Democratic Committee. They will be able to use your help in the midterms and 2028.

I hope you feel better quickly.

[Freddie]

55. There is one hope left

That he will screw up so bad, and finally disillusion his followers, that we take back both houses of Congress in 2026.

[Elessar Zappa]

57. Could be a lot worse.

I won’t let the idiots steal my joy. No way. And I’m at risk to lose everything but I can’t spend my life worrying and fretting about the future. What will come will come and I’ll deal with it the best I can.

[electric_blue68]

60. Heh... I posted mine w/o reading anything before hand...and it looks like we have some similarity in our pov.

[electric_blue68]

59. I Refuse to Give Up the Joy, and Beauty I can Have Right Now to That Scumbag & Co!

I'm going keep on it even after he's in office even IF it's fleeting!

I've managed to keep my fears mostly compartmentalized. I'm threatened with homelessness if my gov't entitlements are cut. Loss of medicines, too.
So I am in 2 targeted groups. I know my potential reality. 😑

[Southern_gent]

61. Perspective helps

If you’re really this upset, I’d suggest focusing on productive ways to channel your energy, like working toward what you believe in or supporting causes that matter to you. Hating ‘America and Americans’ isn’t going to solve anything. Let’s dial down the existential despair, embrace some perspective, and try to remember that life goes on—no matter what happens on a single day.