I keep hearing from people in my life that spirituality is an essential part of living a meaningful existence. I hear the phrase “let go and let God” and “everything happens for a reason” used a lot as advice and comfort. However, I’m an atheist and a materialist. I don’t know how I could even be spiritual with those beliefs. At the same time, my life is not fulfilling despite the fact that I am not struggling financially. Moreover, I feel paralyzed when I try to get off my privileged ass and do even the bare minimum for socialist organizing because I realize that it goes directly against my labor aristocratic class interests. I feel like knowing that sticking my neck out and contributing to the real movement to change the present state of things is the morally correct thing to do isn’t enough to drive me.

In short, what is spirituality? Is it compatible with materialism? If so, how? And if spirituality is the wrong tree to bark up, how can I drive myself to do what is to be done?

  • heggs_bayer@hexbear.netOPEnglish
    2·
    4 months ago

    @ikilledtheradiostar@hexbear.net sorry for not replying to your comment directly, but @hypercracker@hexbear.net hit the nail on the head with this one. I am a WFH computer toucher who makes 6 figures, has good insurance, has easy access to nutritious food, and barely ever do any real work. I’m labor aristocratic in both the sense that I’m an imperial core citizen who is supported by the blood of those in the periphery and in the sense that I am overcompensated for societally useless work that is easy and interesting. I am in a position where it takes a lot of concious effort not to be a treat defender.

    Socialism would probably be beneificial for me in the long run (assuming I survive long enough to even reach that point), but any earnest attempt to build socialism will see my standard of living drastically decrease in the short to medium term.