So many great thoughts on this thread, so here are mine:
1. Coping strategies - either people don't have any, or, they rely on drugs, alcohol, food, spending money or gambling to cope. I find so many people have no idea how to cope, without a beer after work, wine for dinner each night, or spending $400.00 on a purse. Not only are problems still there, but you may have bigger ones, and in turn, you don't learn to cope without having some kind of crutch at your disposal. This goes with number 2.
2. Acquring stuff - As so many already mentioned, our society is consumed with gathering stuff, so people rely on stuff to make themselves feel better. Problem is, that a lot of the stuff people use to cope, costs money, or harms the mind or body. People seem to define themselves with stuff, and so if you don't get the stuff you want, it may affect your ability to cope on a daily basis, as our self-esteem, as well as how we treat others is at question.
3. Mental issues - So many undiagnosed mental or emotional issues, and this runs in families, so you have many generations of families teaching their kids that bullying is ok, racism is ok, homophobia is ok, etc.
4. Exhaustion - People work too much, sleep too litte, eat/drink too much, etc. There are different stressors or triggers for people, but so many people I see nowadays, for the above reasons, are set off by the smallest of triggers and stressors. Sorry, but getting the wrong cup of coffee is not stressful...losing a family member to cancer at a very young age is.
5. Entitlement - This might be one of the biggest problems of all. Why do so many people feel they are the only ones on earth? We are, for the most part, an unatruistic society, and really have no idea, nor any care or concern for what others are going through, on a daily basis. What has happened to good citizenship, and having care and concerns for others, without personal gain?
6. Poverty/Unemployment - If you are going to lose your home, you are majorly stressed out, and so daily events are big triggers. I notice that with people so on edge about finances, they are easily set off. Hubby is a bank manager, and spends a lot of time counselling clients as they sit their in tears, or, having major meltdowns about finances. It's a major stressor for so many families...
7. Loss of faith - I can't really discuss this, as per DIS rules, but I see a lack of spirituality in our society, and it really does transcend into how people treat one another.
8. Lack of boundaries - Facebook issues, gossip, spreading rumours, cheating partners, etc. What has become of morals/values, and personal boundaries? How about personal responsibility?
9. Lack of social skills - Just because you have a long list of Facebook 'friends' it doesn't meant you actually have a meaningful relationship with any of them. People seem to have forgotten how to converse, send letters, take turns, etc., and this means lots of stress for those who are at the receiving end - retail workers, teachers, parents, etc.
Life has stressful elements to it, but on the whole, I don't consider myself a stressful person, nor, would I describe life as stressful, and I have lost several immediate family members this past year (horrible year for that). My family is so strong, and people keep asking us how we do it, and there are varoius things at play: faith, staying healthy, eating well, etc. It's all about what you view as stress, and how you cope, but it also involves many of the above triggers too. Put all of those together, and we have a fairly stressed society - values have been misplaced or lost, IMHO, and this also adds to a feeling of hopelessness, which in turn has people become cynical and negative.
Great thread, Tiger
and it's like nothing will placate them.
he could not believe that even Americans would be so "Tacky" as to want to drink expresso on a bus.
Oops!
