Night Vision: Seeing Ourselves through Dark Moods

"Using Plato’s allegory of “The Cave,” Mariana Alessandri explores our culture’s obsession with “toxic positivity” and our fear of darker emotions like grief, anxiety and depression. She argues that instead of scrambling out of these moods, we should examine them as an opportunity to better understand ourselves and those around us who are experiencing their own struggles. Instead of encouraging our loved ones to “stay positive,” maybe it’s worth sitting with someone in their darkness."