Shared humanity,
I haven't thoroughly read through all of this thread, but for what it's worth I think you're on the right track.
I have been lucky to participate in a small group like the one you have described with some very insightful people.
Being able to critically examine the human predicament without having to constantly cover the same ground repeatedly is a big advantage.
The deeper into the abyss you go the more it demands of a person psychologically, philosophically and spiritually.
You said something like this earlier: uncertainty and fear are the obstacles each person must tame for themselves before they can have any chance of being a "seed" for some new and more sustainable way of life.
But, paradoxically, there can also be some relief from realizing the inadequacies of human agency in this world.
The problem, for all of us, rests with the simple fact that the current growth system, the modern industrial economy which spans the globe, is the root of our problem...
This statement does capture a lot, but I think it is worth considering that this system is only a reflection of the human values that shaped it.
All but maybe a relatively tiny handful of human beings are the real root of the "human predicament" - the global industrial growth system you refer to is a physical manifestation of the aggregate of human values.
This is a tough pill to swallow.
Probably almost impossible for many as it is a notion that too strongly and too deeply challenges the foundations of social identity.
Like the video says: "The first drive is: The drive to actually belong".
The metaphor of the "monkey trap" is very apt in this regard.
The "solution" is simple; let go of the banana (ie, consciously choose to deviate from the cultural imperatives that drive the system and risk becoming a pariah) or sleep with hand tightly gripped around the banana until the hunter shows up (but you'll be in good company).
This type of change does not happen overnight so the sooner a person starts to concentrate on letting go the better.
Best of luck.