Reason, progress, unselfishness, a wide historical perspective, expansiveness, generosity, enlightened self-interest. I had heard it all my life, and it filled me with despair.

Summary

This quote reflects the speaker's disillusionment with the ideals and principles that have been ingrained in them throughout their life. They express a sense of despair and hopelessness towards concepts such as reason, progress, unselfishness, and a broad historical perspective. These values, which are often promoted as positive, seem to have been inherently disappointing for the speaker, leading to their feeling of despair. The quote implies a cynicism towards societal expectations and a general skepticism towards the effectiveness and fulfillment of these commonly praised ideals.

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