Conclusion

Running through John Green’s vast body of work, in books and online, are themes of openness. Openness to human stories. Openness to getting it wrong. Openness to trying again to get it right. He writes to keep hope and wonder alive and well, despite apparent futility. He never ceases to question and act on the uniquely human impulse to seek to understand, while bravely resisting the likewise human impulse to run away, avoid, censor.

Green’s work is an invitation to stand in this vulnerability with him, to lean into the beautiful existential crisis that is humanity. He and his brother and all of Nerdfighteria call to us all to “Never Forget to Be Awesome.” What this community is saying is that they value ideas, thought, perspective, story. All of those things contained within libraries and which we must work harder than ever to preserve.

(Photo: Unsplash)

“We live in hope—that life will get better, and more importantly that it will go on, that love will survive even though we will not. And between now and then, we are here because we’re here because we’re here because we’re here.

I give auld lang syne five stars.” — John Green, The Anthropocene Reviewed (2021)