>No participation trophy ever provided self esteem. Even 7 year-olds know they're trash. > >Next, teach kids that they have value just as they are. You don't have to do anything to achieve self-worth, just be. Except that doesn't work either and the kids all know that, too. Self-worth has not yet been found. > >The fork in the development road here is the personal decision to either do something to find self-worth, or continue to just be... but be more special. Exiting from deluded road at this stage are those who set about to accomplish some task or project to find worth - they will be fine. > >For the others, those who have gained no feeling of self-worth so far and now believe that this feeling should be organic but somehow isn't yet there, the zealous search begins to be extra special, and unique, to have value for being. What am I that makes me special, and therefore, valuable? > >I am queer, I am in the wrong body; my ancestors (and me) were oppressed; I refrain from meat; I am an immigrant (brown only); female athlete with a penis; anti-fascist; climate warrior; vaccine/booster lover; etc. I now have value. Except ... whoops, still don't. > >Okay, it's because not enough others recognize my value. I deserve to be validated. You must do so. My self-worth depends on it. Bake the cake bigot!!! But it's still never enough. They, themselves still don't believe. Why would they? They knew, and still know, the participation trophy is garbage. It's still all they have. > >Personal reflection is hard. Taking stock is a bummer. Admitting failure is, well, admitting failure. Some do this, but most don't. Now, with the sunk cost fallacy engaged, it's too late to change philosophies. Stay the course! It's better than admitting failure. I have value because I am extra special. If you don't agree, then you're a hateful phobe of some kind. Why do you hate me so much? > >So, disagreeing with this pack mentality isn't a disagreement on politics, ethics, principals, or objective criteria of any kind. It's a debate of self worth that is held and grasped for dear life. A disagreement with their specialness is an attack on them. Your dissent is a declaration of their worthlessness. That is why no debate can happen. It can't. > >To merely disagree you are insulting their entire life belief (self lie) of self worth. They will silence you, bankrupt you, imprison you, even murder you. Because it's them or you after all, and someone must die. > >So, whether the brain eating is literal or figurative, they need your brain - you must confirm or you must be eliminated. The specialness-is-life crowd must have your praise and admiration, or they must eat you. > >So, zombie apocalypse? Comes in a swarm, slow and creeping but certain, brainless and non-reasoning, must convert to zomboid'ism or die, will eat you? Check, check, check, check, and check. I do believe the zombies are a coming certainty, mostly because they're already here.