Dev, I said your post was insensitive to other people suffering from depression. I did not say or imply that you or others don’t. I feel your post is self-centered and I’m calling you on it.
My “authority” to do so is not that I know anything about depression, I’m not an expert. I’m a member of this community who thought your post was insensitive to others. I felt like it had to be said, and someone had to say it. I felt obligated.
I agree I could behave better. You are correct. Point taken.
In my defense, there are certain rare times, which I won’t list here to avoid a false equivalency, when a GFY is warranted. Drawing attention to yourself and your “suffering” by criticizing others and their suffering, and then making their “negative” behavior the central point of your thesis or impetus for a “positivity” thread is one of them.
As for bullying, at least I’m being direct and saying it to your face. Requiring a positive thread predicated on the invalidity of other people’s stress and negative thoughts is indirect bullying IMO.
If you wanted a positivity place, why not model good behavior, be the change you want to see? Why didn’t you just say so? I hear you... I need some positivity too. This is what irked me. There are other ways and tools at your disposal to keep that hypothetical thread curated and in topic, which I know you know.
Eric
devashish_paul wrote:
Hi Eric, you make the assumption that some on here including myself and people closeby have never suffered real depression. I believe different points of view are important so yours are welcome. Telling people to go fuck themselves (me) is unneccessary and talking down and your bully behaviour is not really neccessary . Many of us are losing a lot right now all thru life (you don't really have an idea, so maybe better steer clear of direct personal accusations). Really what I wanted to have here is a place where maybe what some people are doing, like the beach ride a few posts up on the Oregon coast can help lift our spirits and maybe keep us out of the complete downward spiral. It has already helped me (thanks to everyone who has contributed some of their experiences) and I know it has helped some very close friends in the past.
In any case I hope we can all get through well. I may be use the hope of exercise and racing as an outlet from the real world of paying employees, people around us dying, loved ones stuck in remote places with no way of getting home. Sport is a nice outlet. If some here can use it as an outlet then that's great. If you want to participate and just talk about the things you're holding out hope for, that's fine too. There are many things I am holding out hope for, unrelated to sport to make the world better which I don't share on this medium. My life is about way more than sport than most here won't see. But I/we need to get through this without the dark side of our brains taking over (if possible). If some of the discussion here keeps us diverted for that future day, that was the intent.
ericMPro wrote:
(Note to all: 1. I’ve met Dev personally and considered him a friend. 2. Dev is an all time great poster here. 3. While I am admittedly over the top with stress and uncertainty these days, I have reserved the right to deploy a choice retort every now and then well before this all started, so this is not (much) out of character)
Dev, a dissenting viewpoint if you don’t mind.
It’s like I told you on Facebook. I don’t think I was the only one. You, your self righteous self and this self righteous post.
There actual people suffering actual loss out here in North America right now. Not just death, but dying alone. Not just grief, but not even to say goodbye.
And yes, many of us *are* struggling, it’s true, but it’s *not* because of any of the reasons you list. I’m sorry that *reading*, tangentially, and at a large and privileged distance, about *other* people’s suffering has hurt your feelings, ruined your race schedule, and that you need to project your need to handle your issues on the whole forum. I’m sorry that the gym and pool is closed and you have nowhere to take yourself selfies. I’m sorry.
Here’s some attention for you: It’s not about you. You could have written this same post differently and gotten the supposed desired effect but I can’t help but think you wanted it this way.
Well, I’m your huckleberry.
Finally (albeit not me personally), for the other people out there who suffer from *actual* depression (you apparently have NO idea) even in the bluest and sunniest of days and even whilst in the midsts of achieving success and glory or even average stuff, I say go fuck yourself again. This post is an insult.
How about have a little effing empathy and ask people how they’re doing, instead of trying to shove this drivel down our throats.
Eric
devashish_paul wrote:
Hi STers,
I think many of us try to live with the glass half full mentality, but during this time it can be really hard. From all angles we get bombarded with what is not possible, lots of people dying, business closing, people getting laid off, a constant stream of negative media, and to a large extent, while under stress, many of us spiraling into attack mode and unleashing a lot of negativity to those around us.
Amidst all of this, it is tough to hold our lives together. Many of us are goal oriented...in sport, in business, in academia, with our families, with our finances.
Suddenly we have a big void of concrete goals on all fronts. The world is uncertain, we have no concrete goals in many aspects of life, we're isolated from human contact, families are under stress, and you can't make heads or tails of life ahead.
So its easy to lose hope that it will get better.
I wanted to start a thread for those who want to hold out a positive outlook. Whether that's having an awesome workout on the trainer, taking an afternoon nap because you can, getting jacked up about shaving a second off an interval split on the treadmill, getting out in your yard and seeing the most blue skies in your life, or the kid in the grocery store on minimum wage risking Covid to check you out at the cash...whatever you want.
Just post positive things that happened to you, or positive things you are looking forward to, or things you are getting motivated by.
Please don't post anything about Covid19 infection rates, numbers, deaths or what politicians are doing or not that affect our sport. Let's keep it decoupled from the other 100 threads on that.
With that, I will start.
The trails in the small forest near my house are almost free of snow. I have a loop through there that I used to do intervals on for over 20 years. Today I ventured on there (we are allowed to run outside here in Canada). There was no one on there. Totally solo. There is a steep uphill and a steep downhill on part of it. In 1999 I used this loop to train for the toronto marathon. I finished top 25 there (OK OK, soft field, but what the heck). I am literally running 90 seconds slower per km today than back there, but on a trail alone, with a blue sky its almost nothing changed in 20 years. Same person, same trail, same sky, same sport.
For a moment it was like coming back to an old friend from 20 years ago. I can't see human friends, but that trail run, it was like an old friend. I went up to the local track from 20 years ago and did some 200m repeats. I did not time them (don't want to know how slow I am), but it was like going to visit another old friend since I can't see human friends.
I was hoping to dial back on running after 100/100 and launch into a big swim block for masters swimming nationals, but that got canned.....but as part of the stress relief I have been running daily and I logged the three biggest running weeks (for me) in my last 7 years. So that's the positive from all this.
Eric Reid
AeroFit |
Instagram Portfolio Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting
“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
