He said to me
“Your optimism is farcical.”
I said
“You may be right.”
Of course
Wisdom may just be
Realizing that
Farcical optimism
Is ever so slightly preferable
To farcical pessimism
If you gathered all of the information together to make a determination of whether or not it is justified to be an optimist, it may very well be a close call. There is plenty in this world to be pessimistic about. The more edgy, less centered pessimists may even consider all a farce. If this seemingly even-matching of evidence to justify optimism or pessimism, throws you off-balance, then consider balance. Just because Pollyannishness exists does not negate optimism or hope. Just as because nihilistic thoughts and behavior exists doesn’t mean that all is lost. Walking this seemingly fine line between optimism and pessimism sets up one’s own basic attitude about life: which side of reality do you want to face, live into? While the line may be fine, this most fundamental existential choice of attitude, direction, is the profound difference between good and evil. This is how freedom plows meaning into reality and how our spirits are incarnate into the world. Some with nihilistic orientations would prefer less meaning full terms — good and bad, useful and not useful, painful and pleasurable. I find a deep irony in folks who are too nihilistic to even drum up a belief in evil! This is what I would call farcical pessimism. Unfortunately, you can’t escape this existential choice, conundrum if you will, by not answering the question. Amorality falls solidly into the immoral category. Amorality amounts to bad faith. If you don’t like free will, maybe you don’t deserve to wield it. If you don’t think that the world is about deserving and undeserving, then welcome to the world of grace…
