"That's the question of the meaning of life." claim
Why this question is important...
Maybe you think "no life isn't that hard..."
Not only is it that hard, it's even harder than you think! You're going to be tested, even if you've had it relatively "easy" so far.
[Conclusion:] (1.) Life is harder than you think... A "sustaining meaning" can get you through.
Why would you look in the darkest places?
Because in the darkest places you can find what still shines. If it can shine in the darkest places, then you know, it's a real light. So... you look at things you don't want to look at.
Thought: Opposite of virtue is vice. Meaning armors you with virtue, virtue helps one fight vice.
Thought: Smarts will give you a healthy fear of vice, and real smarts will give you a healthy fear of the first steps towards vice.
Deduction: finding meaning leads to being armed with virtue.
"Life is suffering, and malevolence, ineradicable at its core. Experiencing that will take you out, make no mistake about it."
Your "hell" is bad enough and especially bad considering you are contributing to it. Because, not only are you suffering, but you know you're the agent that's producing that suffering...
And it's not just your hell, it can take out your family. "If you're really good at it, you're taking out large swaths of your community." That's real hell.
And... It's easy to think of how, even though it's already bad, you can make it way worse.
... if you have that, you have a defense against the suffering & malevolence. Note: And vice.
"You need it, it isn't optional."
"You know people who can get out of bed on a terrible day.
Do you admire them? Yes. What are those people?
Are they take responsibility for themselves? Definitely.
Do they have excess capacity? So that they're taking responsibility for other people. Yes.
Are they doing difficult things? Yes. Obviously.
The more you respect them, the more you also see that they're doing difficult things and doing them well.
So what does that mean? Do some difficult things. Do them well. Pick up your goddamn burden, and walk up the hill. Yep, I get it. And people do get it.
That is the that's the alternative to hell.
Accept the burdensome condition of suffering, voluntarily, and you transcend."
You've got a problem with the world. No wonder you have a problem with the world, the world is a pretty rough place. And it could use some work.
Have you done all your work? If the answer to that is "no" then I would say:
Put in order what you can put an order. [as opposed to trying to solve everything "the world", you're setting yourself for imediate failure if you do that.]
Process
Identify the problem.
Identify its "constituent elements."
Ask: What are the smallest implementable steps that we can take to start to, to address the problem?
Implement the best plan that you have at hand.
Acknowledge: "It won't be the right plan, doesn't matter, (1.) you'll learn about implementing that plan, (2.) you'll learn a whole bunch; and then the next plan you make will be better.
Implement the best plan you have at hand.