38 Comments

The philosopher Hannah Arendt wrote about the banality of evil. The so what of gatekeeper cynicism is on a continuum with the misuse of personal power which Arendt described. In the second my life ends I hope to still have a sense of possibility in my heart. Even as it stops beating.

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Cynicism destroys hope. There is such a difference between "scepticism" and "cynicism". .

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Wow - love this and feel this SO MUCH. (Take that, so what!) Thank you, as always, Elissa, for putting my and the worlds' incomprehensible feelings into your beautiful words.

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Thank you -- so cogent and moving

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Powerful! "So What" keeps us alienated from our capacity for love, compassion, empathy and kindness. One might as well be dead, imho!

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Wow and you caught me, right where I'm at. I think with that hopelessness comes depression.

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I'm not sure if I have cynical hope or am hopefully cynical or hope for less cynicism or as usual a mix but yeah

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Thank you … I so love your words ✨

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This is fantastic! Just what I have been trying to untangle for myself.

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Thanks Elissa. I am inching ever closer to being a paid subscriber. Soon.

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I love this it makes me think deeply about how I approach things that matter to me.

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Thank you for this stack!

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Thank you—I’ll be rippling with “so what” in many days to come.

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Thank you so much for this.

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Another wonderful and stimulating read, thank you. 'Cynicism is quicksand' is so spot on

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Nobel Prize winner writer Han Kang will not make any media appearances or celebrate the prize "as long as there are wars in the world" with festive acts.

“I will have tea with my son. I will celebrate in peace The Academy has not given me this award for us to enjoy but to keep our minds clearer.”.

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That is extraordinary. 🙏🏻

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