It would make a very apt metaphor for the machines as a social construct, fragments of billions of people’s subconscious thoughts combining to maintain the system that holds them captive.

I’m sorry, I’m not sure I understand. Who are “they,” and what is “that” in your initial reply?

So? That’s their problem. There are people who’d dance on my grave if I died tomorrow, too, and what they think has just as little bearing on my decision to keep living. Categorically irrelevant. You can’t show someone the beauty and joy of living by dragging them through shame. Worse still, pegging your self-worth to others’ suffering creates an implicit threshold, a thought stuck in the back of your mind: “What if the suffering I cause now is more than the momentary pain I’d cause by stopping?”

It feels good to tell people things like this. It’s one of the most awful things to hear.

For years I lived right by the sea. I had plenty of alcohol and medications. the prevailing currents would’ve swept my body across the border into a hostile country, where no one who found it would’ve cared. I don’t live to spare anyone else’s feelings, not least those who would mourn me as dead for living the life I want to live. I live because I deserve it, I deserve my family’s respect and care while we’re both here, and I don’t need anyone else’s shame.

To live on solely for obligation and guilt isn’t living at all, and anyone who wishes that on someone else just so they can remain a half-dead trophy they can congratulate themselves for “saving” can eat shit. If you’re reading this and you need to hear something, keep going. Keep trying. We live in an insane world; sometimes you have to try the same thing over and over so you can get different results. Live another day and see what happens. Not for anyone else, but because it’s a shame to miss out on this wild a ride.

This post honestly just pisses me off. Your life is worth living. Not your parents’ child’s life. Yours.

Well, obviously?

Easy honestly, you just have to put some effort into your appearance and be ok with that attention coming from weird 60 year old men, just like anyone else.

You would not believe it, I just met the protagonist of sex the other day. Every time a woman mentions being interested in sex in any way, they secretly mean sex with him. I met another one the day before that, too. Actually it’s wild how many random guys on telegram, discord, forum direct messages, and literally any other means of internet communication are all the protagonist of sex.