affirmations = hypocrisy? How to alter that perception?

[baro-san]

Originally Posted by DoubleM

this is really difficult to express....
I've worked with affirmations for almost 30 years, not steadily, but I have found it did help with my deep insecurities and negative attitudes.

I had a very deep conversation with my 19 year old son recently and discovered just how grim his outlook on life is, in general.

He takes the weight of the world and it's fate on his shoulders. He sees the big picture and finds nothing to smile at. Humans are killing the planet. We have messed up Earth and it's too late to reverse it.
Humans are sick, heartless, stupid and cruel.
He isn't in a deep depression or suicidal, he just doesn't like humanity.
I have given him <the four agreements> to read and he did, shrugged it off, basically.

I've tried to explain that he can't do that to himself, he isn't responsible for the entirety of the race, only himself and his own energy.
That he could do some affirmations and a gratitude journal.
He says he feels like it's hypocritical. Lying to himself.
Needless to say, this made me very sad and distraught.

How can I change his perception of these wonderful tools?

I am probably wrong, but your post reminded me of the movie "About A Boy". In the movie, the mother was oblivious to her son's problems, unable to help him.

These days, maybe more than ever, kids are exposed to an undiscriminating informational bombardment, peer pressure, utopic ideas, scare-mongering. These may scar them for the rest of their lives. It is a very serious situation, and if you find unable to help your son, and even just to make sure you do what's right, try to enlist some reputable professional help. Be careful that your depressions and insecurities, political and social strong convictions, don't rub too much on him, before he's mature enough to make judgements for himself.

At 19 year old, your son should be involved in acquiring a solid education, building healthy lifestyle habits, learning about life, responsibility, work ethic, Earthly and spiritual values, and ... obviously, being preoccupied with learning about girls.