many people unknowingly stuck in this loop never make it out, and when they reach the bottom of the spiral, sort of get crushed into ineffectual burnouts, working service jobs until they retire into misery

those who have enough agency, however, break out through blasphemy

they take one of these core beliefs and, effectively, flip it; now they're a hardcore Trumper, or a disillusioned shameless libertarian, or perhaps they're now simply your garden-variety alt-right furry

they've escaped one trap, but have entered another

since that new core belief is reactionary, rather than principally reasoned, it must be defended, otherwise the ego is at risk; bc if it turns out to be wrong, what choice do they have but to lapse back into the shitlib black hole?

this phase is hard. they lose many friends.

many get trapped in this phase as well; its less bad, since its not quite as self-destructive, but its not quite ideal, basing your self-concept in reaction. generates further contradictions

those with enough agency/intellectual shame end up questioning these new beliefs as well

past this phase, there's no set destination; once you've escaped the black hole, and calmed yourself down out of reaction, you're left in the wilds, free to choose a new intellectual home. this is far from easy, but it can be a highly rewarding effort

this fixes the soul

not trying to slander any one ideological group here (besides shitlibs), more just to point out the dangers of self-reinforcing nihilism cults; bc that's what a social group which rewards self-harm is, lets not pretend otherwise

i was lucky to never be sucked in
others are not