Hi all. As this is the internet, I’m sure I’m going to get backlash and negative comments about me personally (“you were never REALLY vegan”), but before you do that please know this post is coming from someone struggling with a lot of things beyond just this and is legit looking for help.

I’ve been vegan for 6 years now (for the animals and for the environment). During that time I have never knowingly consumed any kind of animal products be it food or otherwise. I always felt I was doing the right thing for me and strongly felt the need to reduce harm that I inflict as a human consumer. I struggle with self-esteem so I always figured “I’m a piece of shit, why should anything have to suffer to sustain me?” I should note I also live in a very VERY rural area and I’m the only vegan I personally know both locally and anywhere else.

Lately I’ve been struggling with my conviction when it comes to being vegan. I see all the horrible things in this world. How no one seems to care for anything other than themselves these days. Humans can’t even treat each other with basic decency let alone animals. All humans seem to do is destroy the environment so they can google something faster or generate some slop that looks the same as all the rest. So why should I even bother anymore? Buy that leather belt, eat that chicken. Baseline decency is no longer needed it seems, why go further?

I guess what I’m saying is the world is shit and most of the people in it seem to be as well. Why should I care about harm reduction anymore? If the status quo is to treat everything and everyone like shit, then what’s the point anymore?

When I play it forward in my mind, the thought of actually consuming animal products makes me physically ill, but I feel like I’m thinking about it more and more and the time it takes for me to get to that nausea takes longer and longer. And that is what truly worries me.

I hate that I’m starting to not care about others anymore, and frankly could use a caring ear and words.

EDIT: Thank you for the advice and encouragement all. I know this is something I’m going to struggle with for some time, but I’m bookmarking this to come back to your reminders about why I do this. Whether that reason is compassion or spite. Both work depending on the day. I am grateful for you all.

I’m wanting to move my main machine over to Linux, but I’ve heard mixed things about Orca Slicer working with Linux. Can anyone give any advice on either having it work or a Linux alternative with similar functionality?

I’ve been REALLY wanting to play LoZ: Wind Waker again and I keep seeing mixed things about hardware capabilities. Can anyone recommend a handheld under $200 that can smoothly handle Game Cube games? I know there are more expensive ones but I really can’t afford them. I mean. I can’t afford a $200 one, but I might be able to rationalize it to myself.

Edit: I was going to go ahead and pick up the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro after so many recommendations for it. Then I saw the Retroid Pocket 5. Well, let’s just say my poor decision making skills will make not having money future me’s problem, but she’ll also have a Retroid Pocket 5 to comfort her lol. Thanks for the input friends!

I'm 42 (TransFemme). I work from home. Have precisely zero close friends and not even any real surface level friends that don't live 4+ hours away. Acquaintances at best and none I can comfortably call upon when shit goes sideways. I have no family. They all have either passed or, like my original friend group, disowned me about a decade ago when I came out and transitioned. So no one to put on an "In case of emergency" contact form.

Work holds no meaning other than a paycheck. I don't really feel a desire to improve a billionaire's bank statement with my hard work.

It feels like I'm just going through the motions. Biding my time until the inevitable. I know I can't be the only one. Heck some of y'all may even be flourishing after similar situations. For me? Everyday feels more lonely than the last.

How do y'all do it?

(No this isn't an unalive myself cry for help. Yes I am in regular therapy. I just don't have any other avenue for asking such things besides publicly here and some other socials)

EDIT to add: I live in very rural US and unfortunately moving is not an option for me at this time or anytime soon.

Sorry I hope this doesn’t go against the no politics rule. I promise this isn’t meant to be partisan but rather questions on legality for purely curiosity sake. But if it is please remove and I understand.

Is there a limit to US presidential power when it comes to pardons? Can it be used for any crime in the US or are there some things it cannot?

For example, if someone were to hypothetically carry out an assassination on a sitting president (any president, this is just a thought exercise), they would be sentenced to death most likely. But let’s say that the person was hired by the sitting VP. Assassin takes out the president, VP becomes president, then pardons assassin.

Based on current laws, could that happen? What other bizarre uses could happen?

Please keep this non-political per the rules.

TAS is a trip