Cryptic Emotions: Onism, Ellipsism, and Anecdoche

Cryptic Emotions
By Sarah Lacerda

In the vast spectrum of human emotions, there are some feelings that lurk just beneath the surface, unnamed and unnoticed. These are the emotions that catch us off guard, the ones we’ve likely experienced but never known how to articulate. Imagine standing in a place that once buzzed with life but now feels eerily abandoned, or realizing the intricate complexity of every stranger's life. These fleeting, profound moments of realization are often encapsulated by unfamiliar terms, yet they resonate deeply within us. From the unsettling awareness of our single, finite existence (Onism) to the bittersweet feeling of living in a once-distant future (Enouement), these emotions enrich our lives with layers of meaning and introspection. As we navigate through the labyrinth of human experience, acknowledging and naming these lesser-known emotions allows us to connect more deeply with ourselves and the world around us.

This article will be broken into a few parts, starting this week with the emotions: onism, ellipsism, and anecdoche. [editor's note: Sarah even created her own images to match these emotions]

 

Onism
When we come to realize that we are but a single person confined to one body, or stuck with just this one lifetime. And once it's over we won’t ever be able to relive it.  Onism is that unsettling feeling you get when you realize you are just one person, confined to a single body and stuck with only one lifetime. It's that moment of awareness when you understand that you can't experience everything the world has to offer. Imagine standing in a crowded city, bustling with life, and suddenly feeling a pang of sadness because you know you can't live every possible life, travel to every place, or have every adventure. It's a humbling realization that once this life is over, you won't get a second chance to relive it. This feeling can be overwhelming, but it also serves as a reminder to cherish the moments and opportunities we have right now.

 

Ellipsism
Ellipsism is the deep sadness we feel when we think about how short our time is compared to the long span of history. Say you were to be hanging out with close friends in a park, you’d come to realize that the time you spend with them now will soon come to pass. Just as a large stone bridge eventually wears down due to the beating rain, wind and snow becoming nothing but a disfigured structure falling apart, our strength fades and we eventually come to pass just as those before us. The exact time we were born in, is the time we were made to see, not any earlier in history and not any later. Our lives, no matter how meaningful, are just small parts of a much bigger story. This sadness is because we know that many important future events and changes will happen after we're gone. The frustration of not seeing what the future holds or how our actions will impact it can make us feel a sense of loss. These moments remind us of our own mortality and the endless time that continues without us.

 

Anecdoche
An experience when you come to realize that everyone is talking but no one is listening.  Words are being thrown at each other but it’s as good as speaking to a wall, you speak to others in hopes that they will listen, however you are doing the same as them. Rambling on, everyone can hear but no one listens. 
 

Stay tuned for more cryptic emotions after Spring Break!