What I find interesting is that most people who talk about their depression, are somehow proud of it, which I put down to their identification with it.

This is perhaps the most insidious part. Finding pride and community with objectively negative traits is becoming the norm, and it creates a conflict where one is essentially fooled into believing their negative feelings are somehow virtuous and to be maintained. Maximized, even.

It's insane to me that the USA and other western countries are such enablers in this regard. Like, really, really bad.

People say anyone, including you and I, are capable of the most horrendous, evil deeds in the right circumstance (the kind of 'every man has a price' concept but with morality). I think this applies to degeneration, too. We all seem exceptionally capable of allowing ourselves to sink far below the deepest oceans of degraded humanity - with the right encouragement