Editorial Observer: What Is the Latest Thing to Be Discouraged About? The Rise of Pessimism
August 29, 2006 by Mary Wynne-Wynter
I found this editorial sad, but also a relief. Its a relief to see it put into words; not that people are not saying this all the time, all over the world But it expresses so well how I feel - "robbed of optimism". Well, not exactly. More like "attempted robbery". There's less resignation, and more room for defiance, in "attempted". In fact, I think I need to add the tag "defiance" and let the defiant stories, and the renegades who tell them, find me.
Editorial Observer: What Is the Latest Thing to Be Discouraged About? The Rise of Pessimism: "Part of President Bush’s legacy may well be that he robbed America of its optimism."
These are ideal times for the release of “Pessimism: Philosophy, Ethic, Spirit,” by Joshua Foa Dienstag, a U.C.L.A. political theorist.
President Clinton was often mocked for his declarations that he still believed “in a place called Hope.” But he understood that instilling hope is a critical part of leadership. Other than a few special interest programs — like cutting taxes on the wealthy and giving various incentives to business — it is hard to think of areas in which the Bush administration has raised the nation’s hopes and met them. This president has, instead, tried to focus the American people on the fear of terrorism, for which there is no cure, only bad choices or something worse. Part of Mr. Bush’s legacy may well be that he robbed America of its optimism — a force that Franklin Delano Roosevelt and other presidents, like Ronald Reagan, used to rally the country when it was deeply challenged. The next generation of leaders will have to resell discouraged Americans on the very idea of optimism, and convince them again that their goal should not be to live with their ailments, but to cure them.
(Via NYT > Opinion.)