Lately I've noticed a trend among some people who do not go along with the consensus reality to spend a good portion of their energy marginalizing or even bashing anything that smacks of goodness, happiness, gratitude, and joy, because the world is an evil cesspool of vipers who willfully commit crimes against humanity at the speed of light. IOW, since these people are so diabolical, the entire focus of existence must be directed at rooting out all hidden machinations of their agenda to make life for the masses a hellish prison. If I thought that way 24/7, I'd be so depressed that I might consider checking out early without any state assistance. (If you don't know about the Canadian MAID program that's nudging marginal people, like the poor who can no longer afford to live, towards ending their lives, you should check it out.)
I'd be the last person to look away from or avoid talking about evil machinations, but this monomania for only looking at the ugly underbelly of life is, imho, just as detrimental as those who only want to see rainbows and unicorns. There must be a balance if we are to believe that goodness can overtake the evil that's slammed in our faces. (And I admittedly had periods where it felt like all I did was focus on what was wrong.) We are dissembled to 24/7--through every person and institution that are the ostensible boss of us--and TPTB no longer bother to hide their agenda: it's out in the open. It's hard to swallow that the nightmare we awoke to three years ago is never going to end. That said, it's absolutely necessary not to get sucked into the whirlpool of depression and despair. I can't live in darkness. I need poetry, nature, communion with others, stories about triumph over insurmountable odds, stories of animal rescues, stories about random acts of kindness, stories about love conquering the most recalcitrant bitterness. To give into love rather than hatred may be the most liberating freedom there is. I feel good when I tell the uncomfortable truth, and I feel good when I can be of service to someone else. I need both to feel nourished and human.