Must You Have an Epiphany? Must It Come from Somewhere Else?

Must You Have an Epiphany? Must It Come from Somewhere Else? If you think you're too thin-skinned, please scroll away. Seriously, don't read this. In all kinds of communities where people exchange ideas and share insights, there's one catchphrase we can never escape: "I've had an epiphany." The tone is usually light, as if saying "I get it now." But it also carries weight, as heavy as saying "I've graduated." What's even better is that this statement almost never requires proof. When you say "I've had an epiphany," people rarely follow up with: "An epiphany about what? Can you reproduce it for the group? Give everyone an actionable version so we can all have an epiphany together?" That won't happen. Communities always have a gentle unspoken agreement: an epiphany is your private property, not subject to audit. Precisely because it's not subject to audit, "I've had an epiphany" has become the most cost-effective expression on the internet: it announces an emotional climax, implies you'v