> a better path toward that goal, in my opinion, is to encourage people to seek the help necessary to deal with stressors
There is almost always a flip side to your personal stress: some dissonance, disharmony in the outside world. Some of those who feel stressed go out and fight for harmony in the world, and they lose. That's what we are talking about here.
This is meaningless. Stress is a natural state. Human lives have forever been stressful, because stress exists for a purpose. To set out to eliminate all "dissonances" and "disharmonies" is a fool's errand.
The wisest people from vastly different cultures -- from Nietzsche who I quote above to the Buddha -- have recognized that suffering is inevitable. Sure, some stressors can be dealt with. But others can't.
If someone is having trouble coping, and he's a software developer in a developed country who has free time to write blogs, the best advice to that person is to seek help learning how to cope.
By "developed" countries you mean those deeply indebted societies driven by the fear of losing a job? Where software managers and founders push to the limits because they have the leverage? Of course you can talk to a therapist or read some Nietsche (or some Buddhism) and your problems will go away.
I said you learn to cope with problems, not that they go away. I also never said there aren't ways to eliminate stressors. The point is that "go out and do something instead of whining about it in a blog" is a shitty thing to say to someone you don't know who is crying for help, and not helpful. "Consider seeing a therapist," who might not only teach you to cope but also help you change things that can be changed, is much more wise.
