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Apr 26Liked by Barry Brownstein

If collective guilt does not exist, then the inverse must necessarily be true - that collective virtue also does not exist right? That hiding yourself in amongst a group, taking on the "virtues" of the group as your own and using it to explain away your personal miseries and suffering and in the worst of cases, looking to inflict that pain onto others.

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Apr 27Liked by Barry Brownstein

I'd say that most instinctively know that collective virtue does not exist. Each of us have to earn respect through virtuous actions. But, collective guilt appeals to most peoples desire for black and white, good vs evil, not shades of gray and nuance.

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Apr 27Liked by Barry Brownstein

How can collective guilt be applied without a perceived collective virtue?

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Collective guilt and collective victimhood

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Thanks for the instructive point, John!

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Thank you for this Barry. I am looking forward to working through "Man's Search for Meaning" with you.,

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Thank you. I appreciate your participation; should be a rich experience!

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Apr 26·edited Apr 26Liked by Barry Brownstein

So much in my inbox ...been unsubscribing left and right.

Your essays remain 💚 I don't always make the time to read...but I do hope to.

Made time today and it struck a chord - your writing and commentary does so often. Also added "Man's Search for Meaning" to the next up on my reading list - embarrassed to say have never read it after so many years learning about Frankl and his story/outlook.

Thank you

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author

What a lovely note to receive. Thank you, SW.

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Apr 26Liked by Barry Brownstein

I read "Man's Search For Meaning" in high school and have never forgotten Victor Frankl. I need to reread it again all these years later. It meant a lot to me then, but I have no doubt it would mean even more to me now. Great essay. Thank you for sharing.

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author

Thank you, Blair. Like all great books each reading reveals more.

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Apr 26Liked by Barry Brownstein

Absolutely, Barry! Well said!

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Apr 26Liked by Barry Brownstein

Man's Search for Meaning was emotionally very hard for me to read but I finally read it a few years ago. Your essay Barry brings out the most poignant meaning of that frightening and torturous time in history.

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author

Thank you, Celestra. There is much more to come.

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Man's Search for Meaning is one of the most meaningful books for me from the last century. Imagine if we replaced the oppressor/oppressed instruction in schools with moral clarity, the nuance and complexity of good and evil found in every group. What a wonderful world it would be. Thank you for creating, and sharing, this timely essay.

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Apr 26Liked by Barry Brownstein

Excellent!👏🏻

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《DEI formally stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” although a more accurate name for this ideology would be “division, evil, and insanity.” Contrary to what Democrats would have you believe, there’s absolutely nothing inclusive or honorable about the tenets of DEI. The agenda to force this ideology upon young, impressionable minds as they seek higher education is also quite insidious.》—Unskool

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