> [!infobox] <s class="aside-in"><em>mentioned in 1 topic, 15 evergreens, 5 sources</em></s> #### [[Sadness is enlightenment and happiness is delusion]] If a person internalizes the narrative that negative emotions are a sign of intelligence, it can warp their [[realism|realistic]] [[perception]] of the world, because [[Human's have an inability to admit that they are wrong]]. Once a person has set up this belief that negative emotion is associated with intelligence, you can struggle to find [[happiness]] in normal situations, and find it easy to find [[sadness]] in good situations. As your intelligence and [[knowledge]] of the world increases, you will find that the only "proper" reaction is increasing sadness. This way of living your life is [[subconscious|subconsciously]] attractive, because you will think your increasing sadness is a sign of your increasing intelligence, and that it is the only moral reaction the world we live in. As your [[despair]] grows, so does your [[fear]] of the possibility of [[hope]], because then your [[realism|realistic]] view of the world is wrong, and your despair has been for nothing. [[Rationalizations are defense-mechanisms against strong emotions]] and your anger against the [[injustice]] of the world has caused you to make [[rationalizations]] about how you can [[change]] it. This [[feedback loop]] leads to inaction, [[depression]], [[pessimism]], and [[cynicism]]. ^[[[Mental health is a reaction to one's environment]]] ##### What is the path out? Once someone has reached this state of "[[enlightenment]]," they will not only find it incredibly hard to be happy, they will see any [[happiness]] they do find as illogical, unnatural, and generally unwarranted, but [[Realism must acknowledge optimism's existence and effectiveness]]. The path out will be different for every person, but for everybody some change is needed. ^[[[Sometimes we can't grow until we change our environment]]] It may be something small, it may be something massive, or they may just get bored with being cynical and come to think [[Happiness is enlightenment and sadness is delusion]]. If someone can trick themselves to be hopeful, that may be enough to make a permanent change in their life, because [[Hope is not optimism it is a practice for producing change]]. #TO/TEND/GRAFT ideas of [[karma]] and [[Dharma]] and [[Ashram]] - [[Purpose is derived from within, duty is derived from without]] %% #TO/TEND/MULCH For people that have become to aware of [[What is the cognitive effect of living in an unjust world|The cognitive effect of living in an unjust world]], the only may be [[emotional detachment]] from the [[suffering]] of the world: [[Buddhism outlines a path and practice to end suffering, but does not promise it]]%% [[Knowledge of an unjust world is painful]], but [[Accepting responsibility is not only about your actions]]: [[Be the change you want to see in the world]] ### <hr class="footnote"/> **Status**:: #EVER/GREEN *edited 7:35 AM - July 08, 2022* **Topics**:: [[self-worth]], [[Buddhism]], [[depression]], [[social justice]]