Pessimism Is Often Just An Excuse To Be Lazy

The world is not a kind place. One must only turn on the news or look through a twitter feed to see not only the indifference of nature, but the indifference we have the capacity to have for each other.

Never has there been a better time to see the injustices of the world so clearly in plain view. We can type in a three letter domain, click on the “Most Wanted” tab and see the faces of individuals who have committed unforgivable crimes and are essentially free to do it again until caught. Instead of kindness in our world being seen as a strength, it is seen as a weakness, and thus individuals are punished instead of rewarded for their good nature. However none of these examples are a reason to do nothing or to be miserable, and this cynicism is often used to mask insecurities and offer a comforting reassurance that an individual’s ideology is the correct one.

It is easy to observe pessimist in the wild because they are found in large groups where they can all confirm their own ideas about how miserable the world is. “The world is a bad place and people are awful, so why try?” is the axiom of the curmudgeon.

I will be the first to admit, I myself do not find the world to be an innately good place, nor do I think we should trust people blindly, and there are certain things we should be pessimistic and negative about. However, allowing these values to poison a good life is a tragedy. The world does not need to be perfect for us to live a meaningful and exciting life. We have to ask ourselves if pessimism is worth the misery of living an uninspiring life where we avoid hardship and difficult things because of the discomfort they cause. To succeed in life, one must get used to being uncomfortable, and pessimist hate discomfort, preferring the warm nook of avoiding anything that causes the sort. If you are a functioning pessimist that sees the world through negative lenses but still accomplishes incredible things, then perhaps you have found a secret that many of us wish to learn. Negativity can cloud one’s mind and warp their view of the world. That is why positivity is so important in an unkind world.

Negative people often take their position because it is a form of virtue signaling, in turn raising their social status by taking such a serious view of life- something we see as an intelligent position. We see this seriousness everywhere: The stoic scientist claims climate change is irreversible; The authoritative politician states that war is imminent; The domineering boss says we’re getting terminated and there’s nothing we can do about it. We see this seriousness and can’t help but compare it to our parents or teachers that also told us of the consequences of life. In a Machiavellian sort of way, an outward seriousness can be advantageous, but an inward seriousness can spell disaster and wreck potential. Robert Greene’s 38th Law from The 48 Laws of Power: Think as You Like but Behave Like Others, applies here. Don’t be pessimistic for the sake of it; negativity and cynicism should be used purposefully to avoid unnecessary things and spending useless effort.

We all must deal with people to be successful. No, not everyone is a paragon of goodness, but we must have a degree of trust in business and interpersonal relationships to succeed, pessimism kills these bonds outright. It is impossible and foolish to trust everyone, and judgement is an important skill to learn, but a form of trust must be created.

Life is an equation of balancing the good with the bad. The world does not have to be unequivocally good for you to enjoy it.