We live in an era where anxiety has become a native language.

On almost every social platform, you’ll find voices echoing the same sentiment:

“I’ve sent out hundreds of applications — still nothing.”

“Is every student in the country applying for internships right now?”

“Even he couldn’t land an offer — what hope do I have?”

People seek resonance in these statements, hoping to confirm that they’re not alone.

Yet when this shared sentiment becomes a kind of collective emotional performance, we must pause and ask:

Are we supporting one another — or slowly draining each other?

⸻

I. Collective Anxiety is a Modern Superstition

In the past, people turned to religion or authority to make sense of the world.

Now, that explanatory power has shifted to anonymous posts and comment sections.

When we say,

“Even top students can’t find jobs, so it makes sense that I can’t either,”

we’re not being rational — we’re seeking permission to disengage.

It’s a new kind of fatalism: Not based on stars or gods, but on algorithms and anecdotal data. And like all superstitions, it offers comfort at the cost of agency.

⸻

II. Anxiety is a Substitute for Meaningful Presence

In a fragmented world where identity is increasingly unstable, many people can no longer derive meaning from what they do, so they turn instead to what they feel.

Or more precisely — what they can make others feel.

“I’m anxious too.”

“You’re exhausted? Same here.”

Suddenly, a fragile thread of connection is formed. It’s not malicious. It’s the loneliness of the era, creating social intimacy through shared despair.

But this connection is shallow. It is not built on action or trust, but on temporary emotional synchronization.

And when one person begins to break free, the group may no longer recognize them.

⸻

III. Rationality is a Lonely Virtue

Those who refuse to engage in collective anxiety often appear cold, self-centered, or even “delusional.”

In a world where helplessness is normalized, any sign of composure feels like an attack.

But the truth is:

• You are simply choosing to focus on what you can control.
• You understand that no matter how chaotic the world is, your actions are what will leave a mark.
• You don’t let others’ panic steer your decisions.
• You don’t measure your worth against collective despair.

This is not luck. This is clarity.

This is not being the exception. It’s making a choice.

⸻

IV. To Remain Clear-Minded is a Rare Freedom

Anxiety, in and of itself, is not the enemy. It’s a valid response to uncertainty.

But when amplified and repeated on loop, anxiety turns into culture. A default language.

In moments like these, we must remember: Not every emotion deserves to be forwarded or absorbed. If you never brag, never panic, and simply get things done — You may seem out of place in a world that rewards visible emotion. But that dissonance is the clearest proof of your free will.

⸻

Conclusion: The World at Large is Not Your World

Yes, this era is complex, overstimulating, and brutally competitive.

But that’s exactly why the ability to stay grounded, focused, and rational is so rare and so powerful.

You are not cold. You are not an outlier.

You simply never believed in narratives like “everyone is struggling, so I must struggle too.”

Because you know —

The people who truly change the world are not the ones echoing anxiety.

They are the ones who keep moving quietly, steadily, regardless.