About this episode

Dr. Debi Silber interviews philosopher Mariana Alessandri about the negative impacts of toxic positivity and the importance of embracing dark moods.

Guest: Mariana Alessandri, PhD — existentialist philosopher, author, and self-described "defender of dark moods" If you've ever been told to "choose happy," "stay positive," or "look on the bright side" while your world was falling apart — this episode is for you. Dr. Debi Silber sits down with philosopher Mariana Alessandri to explore why our society's obsession with toxic positivity is actually hurting the people who are suffering most. Mariana, author of a groundbreaking book on dark emotions (covering anger, sadness, grief, depression, and anxiety), brings a refreshing and deeply compassionate philosophical lens to the emotions we're taught to hide, suppress, or apologize for. In this episode you'll discover: Why the pressure to "be positive" has an insidious underbelly — and how it turns us against ourselves The difference between saying "I'm broken" and "I'm in deep pain" — and why it matters How souls connect more deeply in suffering than in joy (and the philosophy behind it) The two wolves parable — and why starving the dark wolf may be keeping you stuck Why anger deserves a hearing, not a judgment — and how it can be a form of self-care The concept of "sympathetic…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Debi Silber

Guest: Mariana Alessandri

Topics covered

• toxic positivity
• dark moods
• emotional health
• philosophy of emotions
• self-care
• suffering and connection

Keywords

• toxic positivity
• dark emotions
• self-care
• philosophy
• empathy
• suffering
• anger
• sadness
• grief
• depression

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: groundbreaking book on dark emotions

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