A philosopher's personal reflections on how painful emotions reveal the truths of what it means to be human.

In the light of ancient Western philosophies, our dark moods such as grief, anguish, and depression may seem absurd. Viewed through the lens of contemporary psychology, however, they can sometimes be seen as psychological disorders. Self-help books insist on promoting the promise of a brighter future, sometimes making us feel ashamed for not being grateful, happy, or optimistic enough. Night Vision invites us to consider a different approach to life, one in which we stop feeling bad about ourselves.

In this powerful and relatable book, philosopher Mariana Alessandri draws on the stories of diverse groups of philosophers and writers of the 19th and 20th centuries to help us see that our suffering is not a sign of our brokenness, but rather a sign that we are kind, intelligent, and perceptive. Thinkers such as Audre Lorde, María Lugones, Miguel de Unamuno, Gloria Anzaldúa, and Søren Kierkegaard used night vision to see through their negative emotions. Alessandri explains how readers can harness “night vision” to discover new aspects of their darker moods, such as wit and humor, closeness and warmth, connection and clarity.

Night Vision shows how we can see those moods and ourselves as respectable, honorable, and absolutely human when we learn to see in the dark.

Mariana Alessandri, PhD, writer, and professor at the University of Texas–Rio, serves as director of religious studies and is an accredited faculty member in Mexican American and feminist studies. A self-described “defender of dark moods,” her book Night Vision: Seeing Ourselves through Dark Moods was named a 2023 NPR “Book We Love” and has published popular articles in The New York Times and leading academic journals.