On a deep level, I think we are mostly kind creatures hoping for the best for each other. Under the surface of things there is a desire to experience an individual collective joy.
That instinct may be buried deep under the surface of life right now; nonetheless, peace and happiness exist if we want to work at it.
I am an unapologetic, card-carrying optimist. It is not the easiest of times for members of this positive-thinking club. It feels akin to being exposed as a socialist or communist during United States senator (Wisconsin) Joseph McCarthy’s political witch hunt of the 1940s and 1950s.
Sometimes, I walk around looking pessimistic just to fit into the crowds and not be ostracized, or worse. This perception of life might be considered shamefully trite, however, that is a risk worth taking.
As the chatter of catastrophic climate events accumulate and the buzz of nefarious and creeping robot intelligence infiltrates life, it might feel wrong to walk around with an optimistic gait.
Well, there is accumulating evidence which proves the pessimist thinking part of the problem, and negatively contributes to our sorry situation. Social science and neuroscientists have discovered a direct link between them. Mind and body are enmeshed in the different twines of the same rope.
Of course, you cannot think your way out of a physical sickness, however, the overall data suggests positivity can be a tiny part of a larger holistic way to become healthier. If you are what you eat, then you are what you think, as well.
We live in a universe of action and reaction, cause and effect. Being an optimist today is not the same as your dad’s optimist.
We live in a world of continuous change and progress. Optimism is not being terminally neutral, such as, for example, the country of Switzerland and its slippery and unethical banking system.
I believe optimism can manifest as an anger-fuelled warrior in the face of aggressive injustice. Optimism takes sides when push comes to shove, so to speak.
The new optimism is tempered with realism to create a balance in relationships, work and generally how we experience the world. Further to that point, anger can be a positive trait of the optimist. It is strengthening and empowering when used in the appropriate context.
The late British politician Winston Churchill is credited with saying, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
I can only speak from my own experience of formerly living without hope or optimism. Realistic optimism mixed with a truck load of hope are foundational materials in building contentment, which can weather life’s valleys and peaks.
Robert Skender is a qathet region freelance writer and health commentator.
