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Despair, when not the response to absolute physical and moral defeat is, like war, the failure of imagination.
-Adrienne Rich
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Despair, When Not The Response To Absolute

Adrienne Rich
Despair, when not the response to absolute physical and moral defeat is, like war, the failure of imagination.
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Topic
War Imagination Confusion

More From Adrienne Rich

An individual in despair despairs over something. . . . in despairing over something, he really despair[s] over himself, and now he wants to get rid of himself. consequently, to despair over something is still not despair proper. . . . to despair over oneself, in despair to will to be rid of oneself-this is the formula for all despair.
Individuality Despair Want
Compared with the person who is conscious of his despair, the despairing individual who is ignorant of his despair is simply a negativity further away from the truth and deliverance. . . . yet ignorance is so far from breaking the despair or changing despair to nondespairing that it can in fact be the most dangerous form of despair. . . . an individual is furthest from being conscious of himself as spirit when he is ignorant of being in despair. but precisely this-not to be conscious of oneself as spirit-is despair, which is spiritlessness. . . .
Ignorance Negativity Individuality
The ever increasing intensity of despair depends upon the degree of consciousness or is proportionate to this increase: the greater the degree of consciousness, the more intensive the despair. this is everywhere apparent, most clearly in despair at its maximum and minimum. the devil's despair is the most intensive despair, for the devil is sheer spirit and hence unqualified consciousness and transparency; there is no obscurity in the devil that could serve as a mitigating excuse. therefore, his despair is the most absolute defiance. . . .
Despair Devil Degrees
There are similarities between absolute power and absolute faith: a demand for absolute obedience, a readiness to attempt the impossible, a bias for simple solutionsto cut the knot rather than unravel it, the viewing of compromise as surrender. both absolute power and absolute faith are instruments of dehumanization. hence, absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power.
Faith Cutting Power
If there is no absolute moral standard, then one cannot say in a final sense that anything is right or wrong. by absolute we mean that which always applies, that which provides a final or ultimate standard. there must be an absolute if there are to be morals, and there must be an absolute if there are to be real values. if there is no absolute beyond man's ideas, then there is no final appeal to judge between individuals and groups whose moral judgments conflict. we are merely left with conflicting opinions.
Real Mean Men
When our embassy is attacked in benghazi by terrorists and there is no response, you get more bad behavior. when russia invades ukraine and there is no response, you get more bad behavior. when syria crosses the red line and there is no response, you get more bad behavior. when iran launches tests of ballistic missiles and there is no response, you get more bad behavior. when north korea attacks sony pictures and there is no response, you get more bad behavior. in other words, mrs. clinton, you cannot lead from behind. we must respond when we are attacked or provoked.
Russia Ukraine Iran
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