"people should be able to touch one another and feel each others pain. physically, like you could place your hand on someone's cheek and feel their toothache; and emotionally, if you move someone, touch them deeply, you have to take responsibility for that depth of feeling and care about them.

it isn't just pain that we should feel in each other -- happiness should seep out of pores and clouds of jealousy and all the different kinds of love and disappointments should float around us. we could walk in and out of people's clouds and know what they're feeling. that'd be the kindest way to live."
~kristin hersh, rat girl