A case for optimism

By Anthony Sims Staff Writer Optimism is a philosophy rarely covered in today’s society, as many great philosophical thinkers gravitate more toward pessimism, absurdism, and so on. I disagree with their notions of worldview, and posit that a resilient variety of optimism makes for not only a better outlook on life, but a better and more successful person. To understand my optimism, one should understand its opposite, pessimism. Pessimism posits that life is meaningless, full of suffering, and that the world is more full of pain than pleasure. The idea that life is meaningless ignores the capacity for human intervention, as existentialist thought counterclaims that man can make their own meaning. Pessimists may rebut that free will doesn’t exist, thus decisions and meaning we make hold no significance. I believe that fundamentally, free will is irrelevant. Each individual person has an effect on the world around them, and with or without free will, only those cognizant of this may utilize it. Awareness of our footprint allows us to better navigate suffering and desire. Life does have suffering, and sometimes it may dwarf or snuff out joy. Buddhists believe that suffering comes from desire, and both fall under the category of dukkha, or dissatisfaction. While connected, I disagree that suffering and desire must be discarded in pursuit of the higher form of satisfaction that they call nirvana and then parinirvana. A full life requires both the happiness of achieving desire and the suffering that comes with it, as the divergence lends to a more meaningful life. Personally, I was diagnosed with arthritis in 2022 and have dealt with physical suffering each day since. At first, I was incredibly depressed, but today, I have never been happier. Since then, I have found happiness believing that I can and will work through things, and find joy in that struggle. These days, I try to play guitar every day, my bench press increases with each gym visit, and I try to live in the sunlight, laughing with whomever I have the privilege. I believe that one should live their life finding meaning in their pursuits, even if truly unachievable - go out swinging. Pursue what makes you happy, regardless of outcome, opening the door more fully to desirable results. Nobody stumbles on their dreams accidentally, dreams demand work, easier done with an optimistic lens. Therefore, to achieve satisfaction and happiness in their life, one must believe it’s possible. Furthermore, allow yourself the luxury of big dreams. Quoting Ellen Johnson Sirlea, the first woman to be elected head of state in an African country, “If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough.” If you start putting effort toward goals each day, you will be surprised at how much you can achieve. “What’s the point?” pessimism asks, “Why should I try when there’s no point in this absurd world?” Some may still feel disheartened by the uncertainty of the universe, but I challenge this notion - “What would one actually do if it wasn’t?” “Direction is good,” some may say, but is it? What if the end that the world pointed to was something undesirable? As a thought experiment, it’s a valid consideration. The idea of a universe where we are rejected, defunct, or wish against its designs is a world worse than ours. While things may be better if aligned differently, the notion that each person holds the ability to make of it what they will is heartening. There are too many unknown variables to say for certain whether the world would be better with a clear purpose. Is it not great then that we have an impact, as objects in motion? Free will or not, we have the capacity to carve our own paths, and that’s not so bad. “One may only achieve their goals if they believe they can” is the crux of my optimism. We can do what we wish, should we play our cards right - with a bit of luck admittedly. If not, we can do as we like in our struggles. It’s all in our hands, and to me, that is the mark of a kind universe. And so, when I consider how to think about life and existence, I can only smile and say that life is worth living, and I wish it on other people.