I think you’ve identified some areas that are causing this. Intense vocally negative people, really traumatizing and disheartening world events. Watching the world change for what we see as for the worse IS depressing.

I’ve felt this about climate change, and tried medication and education and being informed. None worked like taking action. Going to restoration events, taking part in community events and making small changes to my environment. When you find small ways to take action, you can relieve the feeling of helplessness and then your surroundings yourself with positive change. Whatever your cause is, whatever makes you sick and want to turn away, find a cause that combats it and take action.

Not a sure fire thing, but it’s a start.

I allow them to feel fat while still demanding they provide evidence if they actually insist they are overweight.

I feel fat even when I’m in a healthy weight range; I think that is patriarchal social programming. I don’t think you can control how someone else feels. But when they start really getting down on themselves, I encourage them to either find evidence that they are overweight and then set goals to deal with it. Or, they can’t actually prove it (ie. They are healthy weight/waist) and then we deal with overcoming the social programming.

Not perfect, but it works for me and my partner. Mostly deals with accepting how we feel and making a plan about it.

I’m graduating at 29 after 6 years! When you are just out of high school, it feels so important to be in line with your peer group. As you get farther from that point, no one carries the same timeline anymore. It’s okay to take more time, and more importantly, it’s okay to fail a class.

Some of my classmates finished their masters before I even started!

No, I see it as friendly, but I receive them from my friends. I think if you have a doubt in the relationship already you are more likely to interpret any short reply as rude than if you are confident in what your relationship means to them.

Okay but… this is cool. Doesn’t count

Agreed!

Your argument was about talking to friends to gain insight into things you know less about, not finding the six degrees of separation that connect you.

I agree with the original premise of talking to friends with a variety of backgrounds to compliment your world view, but I also holdfast that it is privileged to assume that most people will have connections with friends or even friends-of-friends that can get them trustworthy and informed information.

You scared the crap outta me when I just read the title and thought you wanted “Pay 2 Play” journalism.

I like your idea, but it relies on being connected to people who have education/expertise/authority on subject matter. Great if you have them, but can’t be a reasonable expectation for most people to have good access.

Breville makes one that uses a non-proprietary canister that can be refilled for a few dollars. We love ours.

I’ve used a skin routine from The Ordinary with good results. The most basic would probably be the squalene cleanser and Natural Moisterizing factors. I’ve added the niacinamide and zinc, glycolic acid toner, and most critically for redness Azelaic acid emulsion. Makes my face soooo soft and helps with redness

Butter. Sap is not water soluble, so soap and water won’t work. It is, however, fat-soluble, so you must rub an oil (any pet-safe/food oil will work) into the fur and incorporate the two together. Then you can use soap and water to rinse out the mixture. Voila! Works like a charm on many hydrophobic substances.

I second this view. If the interviewer maintains a critical approach to their analysis of the interviewees responses, I see no reason to discontinue watching. However, having a guest who is consistently an unreliable source of information and taking their views at face value screams red flags to me.

Kind of like assessing a new relationship, if your prospective partner becomes someone completely different around friends with opposing views, run. They aren’t an objective source, they are a mirror with a megaphone.

Pro tip: everyone is they/them until otherwise stated. It sounds counterintuitive until you look at the example of the unknown stranger. You see a jacket left on the back of the a chair, and wonder if the stranger will return. You ask a person nearby, “Do you know who this belongs to? When are they coming back?”

English has always used neutral pronouns for someone unknown to you. We constantly make assumptions about gender based on appearance, and cis people take for granted that our outward appearance matches their gender. My best take on being an ally and inclusive is to default to gender neutral pronouns until someone states it or corrects you.

There will be a time when manipulative charisma will feel strangely like love and home. Don’t listen, learn what real love feels like.