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Pastimes : Don't Ask Rambi -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Gauguin who wrote (47113)	2/20/2000 6:29:00 PM
From: Crocodile	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 71178

..but has anyone besides spouse and I noticed that serious depression is epidemic in our society these days? Well, yes... I-I-I have noticed that for quite some time.... I don't know if I'd actually say that it's a "recent phenomenon" though... I think it's probably been around for awhile, but I think it's careening wildly out of control these days... Believe it or not, I've actually given the matter some serious thought over the years... and come up with a few possible theories. First, I think that we are all spending a lot more time "detached" from the people who are supposed to be part of our "meaningful relationships". I don't think that's a "normal" state. I mean, what ever happened to tribalism? You know... sitting around shelling beans while chatting, playing little games, and just enjoying being in the company of others. Or of planting crops or tending livestock... working alongside another person who was probably your husband, or wife, or parent, or child... Someone who means something to you and that you enjoy being with. Instead, most of us barely see each other and when we do, we're stressed out from work or commuting to and from. And when we're together, maybe we're standing in line with the anonymous hordes of humanity... I caught a glimpse of that today when I made one of my extremely rare forays into a large, very busy IKEA store in the city. As I stood in line at the check-out, I gazed around at the faces of the other people in the line-ups... emotionless, zombie-like, tired, stressed-out faces... And little children who probably would rather be at home playing than standing in line in hot, heavy winter clothes... some yawning and rubbing their eyes... some getting cranky and complaining (with good reason IMDO)... And then there is just the unnaturalness of our world.... I can't really think of a time when I can say I've felt "depressed" being out on a river paddling my canoe or hiking in a forest. But when I walk in the city core, I see the ragged homeless wandering around through the snow... many of them in need of some kind of serious "help"... I dunno... that's enough to make me depressed... The helplessness of it all... the inability to change things... Something very big is definitely wrong. Yes indeed, something very big IS definitely wrong... But what to do about it, eh?