> I think it connects with the thread on "opium of the people." As noted
> therein, Marx's view of religion was considerably broader than just
> that frequently quoted phrase, but it is quite easy for folks who feel
> very urgently that society's problems must be solved as soon as
> possible, and nothing else takes priority, to assume that anyone whose
> mind is on anything but how dismal the world situation is is doped up
> with this "opium."
It connects in other ways as well. One of the things I had to recognize in my bouts with the Black Dog is the sensation of depressive ideation. In other words, dwelling on things which made me feel depressed also felt _good_, as a kind of narcotic. I'm not sure if I can describe why dwelling on the worst possible scenarios, and the hopelessness of things in general, felt more _comfortable_ than other things. But that's pretty much what I'd noticed.
Whatever the reason for this, it's something I have to try to avoid. But it does echo in a way apposite to Jon's comment. There is a difference between thinking about social problems with an eye towards changing them, or righting injustice... and dwelling on them because it's handy (and unarguable) fuel for a nice, rich, bout of misery.
In short, reminding oneself about how miserable the world is, and how hopeless things are, can easily be _another_ kind of opium.