The Hidden Cost of Doomscrolling 

It still missed the entire point. The argument the commentor was making was an "anti natalist" one not an environmentalist one. They were saying it was immoral to have kids because the child will have to suffer greatly during their lifetime, not that them existing will contribute to climate change.

I concur

On the reply to this first: regarding the comment guy's anti-natalism views, from reading his writing and reddit history I can say with confidence that he is a vocal and staunch anti-natalist. He's also all the other things I mentioned at the end. On the comment itself: thank you so so much - this is lovely. It was a hard video to make, so this really hits home.

​@@struthlessI understand that, most anti-natalist have a bleak view of the world. That being said, since you're a new father, I'd really like to see your take on that concept because I'm kind of on the fence with anti natalism. Thank you for the response

This was a really good and informative look into these comminties, and its getting worse. These and doom communities on utube is REALLY bad. There's one I've been paying Attention to, minutesofhorror, that posts daily paranoid Schizophrenic rants, and has a HUGE following. All cus of these scared, God fearing people, looking for answers. I swear the way he interacts with his commentors, that it's like a borderline cult. They're afraid of everything from 5g, to testing the emergency system and it's ALL connected. And u can't try and talk logic with them. Fr.

Though I do wish he hadn't misunderstood the guys point. The guy was still wrong, but he didn't believe having kids was causing these disasters. He believed that kids wouldn't want to be born into a world with these disasters in them. Thats a subtle but important difference. I'm glad he called himself out at the end there, but even then he didn't quite realise that he'd strawmanned the poor guy.

​​​@@ASpaceOstrichyo, just want to add some context here. The guy is a vocal anti natalist who has a history of this type of comment. Originally i went into that but I cut it out in the edit coz it felt too much, but now I see i should have added more context. Sorry about that, my bad. My logic: I realised the extra comments made him easy to google, so you know... I figured it was a better move to keep it civil. Fwiw your interpretation is also correct! But I just figured I'd give some more details. In any case, I appreciate what you're writing coz you're trying to find the truth here, and potentially reveal a nicer picture. On the strawman note, I did consider using the term strawman instead of one-dimensionalising, but it wasn't accurate with the truth of his anti-natalist/anti population beliefs, however it does make sense with what I've presented. That is all to say, totally get ya and ty

@@struthless No worries. And good on you again for the ending to the video.

Capitalism is a cancer. It's feeding off of humanity and making us all sick.

​@@struthlessI still think that guy didn't see your kid as the bad guy, but you, for supposedly making another person "experience the climate apocalypse", and for adding fuel to the fire. I think that kinda thinking is really unhelpful though, because - as some other commenter mentioned - if people can't have kids, who are we saving the planet for? That type of thinking takes away a lot of motivation to tackle climate change. And if he did mean that we shouldn't create more sufferers, that also takes away motivation. If none of us have kids because "the world's ending anyway" then that's kind of a self fulfilling prophecy, as opposed to actually having a kid (or at least being okay with others having them) and working towards a better future for those upcoming generations. Anyways, really amazing and extraordinarily valuable video, thanks!

That is insane! Wow.

I love that. Hope you're doing well out there :)

❤

👏

i might be one of the 35 billion who die before the end of this. remember me

This is pretty much how I live my life now too! If something truly significant happens, locally or globally, it will find its way to me via the people in my communities.

This is actually the same way, I describe my media consumbtion. As someone who wants to help everyone, who actually swang into the oppsite side once (the nihilism), I heavly started to reduse my media consumbtion and the amount of things I get to know, day to day. Funny thing is, since I started doing that, it seems way more important things happend. Covid, Wars, etc, but the more I think about it, its probably just the thing, that I don't have much that "overrides" these things. I don't have the small news, that immeadly override the large news. That helps me, in particuar.

My grandmother use to say “if it ain’t life threatening, don’t let it worry you” “there’s going to be times when you need to worry so save the worry for that”

Very true! Though I think something that should also be considered is not just not letting doom-scrolling take over your life, but also consider having relationships with people that help bring more positivity in your life (and/or, if you're an empath, learning to not take on other people's pain/issues/struggles as a form of IRL doom-scrolling). It's good to sometimes be someone friends can turn to for comfort and support, but setting boundaries are also extremely important and can help with dealing with friends that have a lot of drama/issues in their lives, they're doomers, and/or place too much emotional responsibility on you that shouldn't be yours to carry. Speaking as someone that was a big empath as a kid/teen and sometimes still has struggles not taking on other people's issues as an adult.

This is what I've resorted too. I've stopped doomscrolling (though I admit I probably spend a bit too much time on YT) but I don't go on reddit or instagram. I used to go there for news, not anymore. If something is important enough I will hear it from a person.

context?!?

@@sippingthepeachsoda I believe it's what's called a joke.

​@sippingthepeachsoda the literal video we're commenting on.

this made me laugh SO GODDAMN LOUD AHAHAHAHAHAH

Hahahaha 🤣

I bought a property with piles and piles of newspapers from the 1940s till the 2010s. Unfortunately, he took out the important ones such as the moon landing, etc... However, what got me was how similar the stories were today. Outrage at immigrants... Italians and Germans back then. Nauru, where Australia sent refugees to imprison them, was actually in a 1950s paper. Teenagers were out of control, all horrible, disrespectful and destined to destroy the country. It was kind of funny to see how little we have progressed.

There is actually a video somewhere about this exactly how newspapers have always regurgitated the same stuff since over hundred years. It's always "oh no in ten years we are going to die!"

Same here! I feel like I am ignorant if I don't look at the bad stuff that is happening to other people around the world.

There’s ways to fight back just have to keep pushing

A solution may be to make it a goal to move to a smaller community in a foreign country and interact and help those in need. You will feel som sense of purpose without always suffering from doomscrolling.​@@redomisia

I know this is late but I wanted to let you know I relate to that helpless feeling. Whenever I get sad about that I try to follow Stoicism. It’s basically this mentality where you acknowledge what you can’t control vs. what you can. In this case you can’t control the outside world but you can control your reaction. So with that try to accept things out of your hand and focus on things that are and maybe that can help.

yeah... just lacked the comment that probably the dude was saying that HE'S INRRESPOSIBLE for puting a kid in this uncertain future world, and not saing that he and his family was CAUSING of he problem... TOTALLY DIFERENT STUFF ... But honestly good video just kinda pissed me of seing him picturing the dude as an " populations it's gona kill earth " dude. The point of " show the way to save the world not just say it's fated to doom " plus the " people are not causing doom, greed of the economic system it's causing doom " kinda saved the video.

Probably because it doesn't cause as much fear and doesn't sell as well, also, it depends on what you seek, news tend to me mostly negative because it's things happening in the world, depending on where you are there isn't a lot of positive happening, I'm Brazilian, I live in Rio, my government is in an almost war with the militia and the cartels, people die every day because of it, it's relevant, but people can watch other things, people can ignore, most people do.

I was literally taught about Borlaug in public middle school lol

Do you mind please pointing us at some of your favourite positive news sites?

​@@briarbarbour7341First week of freshman history class he was mentioned lol. I'm from Texas too, and we have terrible education lol

It’s crazy how vulnerable we are to succumb to this easy access by having technology on us at all times. I feel like there’s a shift happening with people and not having your phone on you can be seen as a healthy thing. It’s something that I’m trying to do more often.

​@@AikiraBeats❤ I have had a glitchy phone this past year and I used to panic thinking I'm going to end up stranded helpless Lost... But a few times that I've had it die on me while away from my charger and such once when I had to remember how I found my way through the world before GPS etcetera or when I moved to my last apartment needing to knock on a neighbor's door ask to borrow a charger before I could move on my way back the day I picked up the keys my new church became that because my phone died after services but before I could summon an Uber back and it was suddenly torrential downpour so I ended up going into the parish office to see if anyone had a charger or I might use their phone and that's how I join the parish I met a couple of my new neighbors and I think God is almost trying to tell me to ditch my f****** phone forever cuz I just bought a new one and damn it I can't even get the damn display to stop popping up while I'm doing my talk to text it's frustrating as hell anyway to talk to text because sometimes I'm not enunciating properly or whatever like the f*** now it's making me crazier than it's worth to just make it 2 second comment that's taking 20 minutes because I don't know how to get this freaking display to stop displaying popping up and can't watch a video I pay for RU-vid premium for this kind of headache what the hell it's just stupid I'm not that old but I'm not invested in all this technology that's supposed to make life easier but it complicates things and I really took for granted the feel of in-person meeting life up close with your eyes and your hands or those first few employment experiences that were so physical when I was so new to the working world I actually invested a lot of energy in showing older adults on my shift that I was just as capable as a young teen teenage girl of doing what they were doing in whatever that job called for whether landscaping or taking over the dishwashing position previously occupied fireman twice my height twice my age who had been postal worker prior to that... I never realized how much the rest of us took him for granted and how much work he did and did well until he walked out and I had to pick up the slack but it was wonderful to be that exhausted at the end of the day except for those horrible fever dream style dreams when you have a tedious job and then you finally fell asleep after working a 12-hour shift I'll need to dream about doing your tedious job.,.. Bwah😢 the proletariat to cry of my working😊clss Blue collar roots

I have CPTSD and joined an online support group.... it was a nightmare! I had never shared a corner of the internet with meaner, more argumentative, touchy and negative people. I mean, the saying is right, Hurt people really DO hurt people. It's so good to hear that someone with a similar diagnosis can choose a more healing and loving path and that we are not all doomed to be people-hating internet trolls.

❤❤❤ This is beautiful; thank you for sharing this with us. I share those diagnoses as well and really love that quick perspective check. Saving that one!!

great approach and important question, thank you for sharing ❤

Well stated. Genuine introspection is something we all can easily forget to do. A reminder like this video and your comment is helpful.

Glad to hear! I won't lie though, I genuinely laughed reading your comment. In a good way.

Good to see a fellow dark optimist 🙋‍♀

You sound like my kind of person. Have a good one 😊

@johnm4912 you are incredible! I am so proud of you. Keep going, we are all rooting for you.

Yes we are!! And if you slip, get right back at it!!

Well done!!

Unfortunately your child will have to deal with RFID inside herself to shop for goods and deal with a World economy. That my friend is even more scary then starving!! # save a life by not making one.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH CONGRATS!!! I hope you're doing well, stranger!! :)

Yeah though I won't have kids I think the "who are we saving the planet for" is justified

Having a Child now is an incredibly blind, selfish, narcissistic act. Use your forebrain, not your dumb animal instincts.

@@cutelittledevil88 I would say, for the animals, the plants, other life forms, whatever humans are out there, I don't need to contribute genetically for the human race, people are going to keep having children even if some people choose not to do it, it's a personal decision, I personally won't have any because they would have a much worse life than I had, but, I find it annoying when people try to prescribe life decisions to others, people can make their own decisions and if they want to have children or not is their prerogative.

i really like the forest focus app, it covers your screen and is like "stop looking at me!" for the timer you set, and if you go back into your apps before the timer is up, your little tree dies lol. might be another tactic to add to your arsenal:)

@@verthandijal that sounds both adorable and helpful! Thanks for sharing 💕

I literally clicked on reply to recommend forest app and I saw the other comment. it's actually really good and helps me a lot. also whenever you grow virtual trees you get some coins at the end which let's you plant real trees (they plant it on your behalf and there is a limit to how many you can plant but I'm not sure how many.) It also helps with tracking time and seeing how long has been spent on what and what things need improving or what things you need to do less of

Lmao samee

I cant lie, same here :|

Really nice content. Right in a spot where it's needed 🧠

You stopped learning to get a fake hug, you mean..

I thought doomscrolling was when you couldn't stop scrolling through youtube shorts

How did you finally delete the accounts? I delete the app, but can’t get myself to delete the account.

@@lizzylouisewoo just press the button it feels kinda crap at first but a day or 2 later and you dont care anymore, if you really care go through and check if there's anything precious you want to keep and save that, but recognise how little most of it really matters and you'll be much better for it

I thought about doing that. But then the action part is hard... That's probably how I know that these apps are a problem... 😂

Find yourself a motivation. I deleted mine 8 years ago.. my ex broke up with me, and I didn't want to see posts related to her, and honestly, I was initially doing it to bug her by not being connected anymore. I felt like maybe it would make her miss me but I ended up just living without it! All I have is RU-vid. Find your motivation! Good luck.

I did this a while ago, but RU-vid and RU-vid comments became the norm (RU-vid is just as bad as instagram and the others due to comments and shorts) and as you may or may not have noticed you’ll subconsciously read and comment on videos such as this. No diss just something I’ve personally noticed in myself and I honestly hope this isn’t the case for you. RU-vid is the last frontier for me, and from that point I’m done with it for good. I’m actually scared because i feel disconnected but I know that’s the addiction talking. Best of luck with your journey and I hope a tonne of positivity follows.

If you want a positive data point on AI: I'm going back to university this year to do data science after failing out of a science bachelor about 10 years ago because of ADHD (among other things). I have taught myself to code using AI and have built a "tutor bot" to help me bridge the gap between my potential and my learning disability. There are tools that exist today that didn't exist ten years ago for people like me. Traditional learning is built for those who learn in a certain way and I had given up on ever making it in traditional education. I am so happy that this technology developed because it has literally changed the course of my life. My plan is to become a statistics specialist and uncover fraudulent science before it can be disseminated. If we could go back in time and catch that "vaccines cause autism" scientist before his fraud got so far it would have a huge impact on todays world. I hope I can prevent that kind of bad science making it out into the world in the future.

That’s awesome! Maybe this can help my nonverbal autistic nephew.. the boy is brilliant in so many ways but doesn’t communicate verbally. I saw an article about a nonverbal autistic girl who learned to communicate with her computer and it changed her whole family’s world. Good luck to you😸

@@katnoto8993 Lovely!!! And I totally understand positive cases like this very specialized learning mode that completely couldn’t exist before. It means a lot to hear a direct testimony that it is going well. I wish you the best in your journey! Have some friends who work in anti-fraud (for social media) and the arms race is complex and fascinating.

Good luck!!!!!! I have adhd and didn’t make it through uni because of it. And because of some pretty crazy personal stuff, but honestly for me adhd was up there with that. I get bad fatigue from it and I couldn’t prioritise or organise myself to save my life 😅 I’m so happy that you’ve found a way to get a second chance and that you’ve got such an amazing goal!!! It literally makes my day to know that you exist somewhere and that you’re devoting so much time and effort to this issue

It works because once you find the nuance most of the flat takes look too shallow to engage with

Read metaphysics book transurfing section on pendulums or atleast youtube video on it, to understand how toxic this type of news can be, i fall for it sometimes too but it's poison

Made me cry too, glad I'm not the only one. Wow! What a doco

Something that might help with that as well is that the comment wasn't quite as bad as it sounded. He wasn't blaming Struthless having kids for these disasters. He was saying that kids wouldn't want to be born into a world with these disasters in them. Essentially taking the "I didn't ask to be born" attitude that a lot of struggling people have and projecting it onto newborn kids. Don't get me wrong, its still a wrong worldview, but its nowhere near as bad as "you having kids is dooming the world".

@@merleginsbergofficial 100%

Dont dream kids otherwise youll become a doomer as i did as nightmares are the ultimate blackpill for me again.

Why is it not right? Does it actually help anyone for you, specifically, to know about all those things? If the only change it causes is making you feel shittier, then there's no reason for you to keep doing it.

​@@lilowhitney8614he literally answers why it's important to stay informed at 19:15.

@@KaterynaM_UA Bruh, this isn't a high school test. I'm not asking if OP can take the "right" answers from the video. I'm asking for OP's answer. Whether they're staying informed because they "should" stay informed (because someone else said that staying informed is What Good People Do), or because them staying informed leads to an actual tangible benefit which serves a purpose.

Just smile😊

That mentality accomplishes nothing except making it easier for evil to rule. You might as well just unalife yourself and get out of the way of people trying to contribute rather than being dead weight, right? Or you can decide to be positive for your own benefit because it's nobody else's job or duty. C'mon, don't be stupid.

There's always some war going on somewhere.

You grew up in one of the most peaceful periods of human history. A little reversion to the mean is to be expected.

​@@personzorzNo, it is unacceptable

i cant get out ofg it ahah

Same here. I believe anti-natalism is generally a personal philosophy that people tend to come to on their own. I wish all prospective parents would really consider their choice in the context of their child's potential suffering, rather than just their own desires about 'wanting a mini me' etc. But proposing it as actual legislation will always have dire consequences and, like you say, to scream at someone for having kids AFTER the fact is completely pointless.

You can just not want kids, and that's fine. But anti natalism is a self defeating ideology, as if it propagates to its conclusion, there will be nobody to continue the idea. An idea that cannot continue into the future is a dead idea.

You're the kind of people who need to stay away from other people's kids

@@joriankell1983 I don't think they are gonna punch the babies, don't worry I don't share the same ideologies at all, but I don't think it just means that they hate children and want them gone, maybe it's more about thinking twice before having children? Idk, but I don't think they are a threat to kids overall

​@@joriankell1983stop omg

AKIN!!!

My thoughts exactly

Doesn’t make it any less stupid.

Yeah but the thing about adoption was ¿?

exactly, he's interpreted the comment completely incorrectly. Still a childish thing to say to someone who's just had a kid. They're probably not wrong but there's no point in saying that to someone with a kid.

@@ladamita_exe the point is that adopting would mean you still get a kid but don't cause a new one to have to live through climate change, just making the time until that more comfortable for one who exists.