Night Vision: Seeing Ourselves through Dark Moods
by Mariana Alessandri
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Description
"The state of the world makes it difficult to look on the bright side. If there is a bright side perhaps it is that we have come to see the virtues of previously taboo emotions such as anger, sadness, anguish, anxiety, and grief. According to philosopher Mariana Alessandri, we're beginning to see that they are not evils to be avoided but valuable and sometimes even productive states. Many of us are coming to see that our darker feelings have something to teach us about ourselves, others, and show more what it is to be human. However, many of us don't know how to feel about what we're beginning to let ourselves feel. She asks: Is it (still) wrong for women to be angry? Is anxiety something we talk about openly now? Can we cry without apologizing yet? Our emotional landscape has been shifting, but no one's guiding us. As Alessandri says, "we need someone to help us grope around in the dark until our eyes adjust." In this book, Alessandri aims to explore these emotions and use philosophy to remove the stigma that still attaches to dark feelings. When we embrace our difficult feelings, she argues, we realize that hidden within them can be found wit and humor, closeness and warmth, connection and purpose, mission and motivation, empathy and self-knowledge, accuracy and communion. Drawing on philosophers and thinkers from Aristotle to Kierkegaard and Miguel de Unamuno to C.S. Lewis as well as contemporary philosophers such as Gloria Anzaldúa, Maria Lugones and bell hooks (as well as Fred "Mister" Rogers; more below!), Alessandri aims show how these thinkers helped to restore dignity to these feelings. Like them her aim is not to correct us but to help us feel, understand, and honor our sometimes painful emotions"-- show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
the "conclusions" chapter gave me chills. in a world where we are constantly inundated with messages to "fake it til we make it" in regards to being happy, successful, or just keeping it "together," it's refreshing to see a shame-free approach to life that also puts faith in human resilience and connection. our capacity for love is greater when we're able to meet each other in the dark - or in the fire of rage. this book left me feeling, dare I say, optimistic? haha it emphasizes the very real importance of actually listening, and not punishing, ourselves and other's dark moods. a must-read for anyone interested in community care, as well as social justice.
Goes into various philosophies surrounding emotions such as sadness, anger, and grief that prevailing culture deems as negative. The book challenges us to stop "feeling bad about feeling bad" (shame) and get in touch with our emotions so that we can better connect with each other more fully and deeply.
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Psychology: Abuse, Grief, Self-Help
189 works; 1 member
Author Information
3 Works 54 Members
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Common Knowledge
- First words
- There are times, many of which we keep secret, when we free-fall into darkness - long days of obscurity and shadow, hours of doubt that cloud the mind, depression so deep it seems impossible to see a way forward. -Introductio... (show all)n, Doubting the Light
If I had known that only one-third of US philosophy majors in college were women, I might not have majored in philosophy. -Chapter 1, Getting Honest About Anger - Canonical DDC/MDS
- 128.37
- Canonical LCC
- B815.A44
Classifications
- Genres
- Philosophy, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 128.37 — Philosophy & psychology Epistemology (how do you know what you know?) Humankind Attributes and faculties Emotion
- LCC
- B815 .A44 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Philosophy (General) By period Modern Special topics and schools of philosophy
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 52
- Popularity
- 584,019
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.63)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 2
