Come across two authors: William Dalrymple (1965-) and Michael Axworthy (1962-2019). Going to read their books about Iran and India. Dalrymple has a podcast, EmpirePodUK. It is super.
A good chunk of the depression we are feeling comes not just from watching fellow human being massacred with impunity but also the realisation that those who tasked with ‘representing’ us only represent money & power, that the wishes of millions of us is of no consequence to them