I think the thing you are missing is probably the community sense you had though. In your youth you went online to talk about x-files instead of going to the mall; people on IRC probably recognized your username, probably knew your opinions on scully and moulder. You can derive some self-worth from feeling like people know you, or feeling like people are interested in what you have to say. Now you have to scream at the top of your lungs while masturbating on camera to have a chance of being heard. Discord exists for now, you can find some small fandom to engage with there. You can accept the fact that your ego is not adapted to measuring yourself against all of humanity at once and find a smaller pond to swim around in; or start screaming and masturbating.

So funny to be in therapy telling your friend-for-hire that you are anxious and uncertain about what to do, because the idea of living modestly and giving to the needy is not even worthy of consideration to them.

I thought it was an instruction manual on how to eat captain crunch.

one of my top 3 books. This doesn’t add to your comment but I find it interesting: An important part of the story is that the Primer was originally intended to train a billionaire’s granddaughter to become a powerful CEO. One equity-lord’s attempt to hoard knowledge that backfires is what catalyzes the story.

Critical thinking is a skill. Anyone can learn it. We can measure a person’s ability by giving them tests and throwing a wide array of problems at them.

This is part of that skillset, you understand subtext? this is the language of the powerful this is how they communicate to us not to resist and blow the whistle. You are serving their agenda by sowing doubt. Whistleblowers are ordinary people that have somehow accessed the deep courage to speak out when you or I would look the other way or say a thing is “someone else’s job”. These people are heroes; how many more of them are you going to watch die before you rise from your chair?