Tragic Optimism - Navigating Crappy Times
Going back to one of the first things I talked about, the book ‘Master Of Change’ by Brad Stulberg introduced the idea of ‘tragic optimism’ to me. But this is not the only place where I encountered this school of thought, I heard about it briefly during my time in philosophy before getting my degree, and since I have incorporated it into my lifestyle to relative success.
Navigating the tumultuous terrain of the 2020s, many of us find ourselves either adapting to an environment hostile to our aspirations or, worse still, coming of age within it. Conversations reverberate with a sense of resignation, phrases like "waiting for the next world-altering event" echo among peers and students alike. On campus, discontent seems ubiquitous.
It’s no secret that times are hard right now and many feel powerless and discouraged, but it does not have to be that way. Buckle in, this may be a more downer blog, but hopefully by the end of it some sunshine will come through those clouds and you may be armed with a new perspective.
What Is Tragic Optimism?
The term ‘tragic optimism’ was coined by Viktor Frankl in 1949 in his magnum opus ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’. The concept of tragic optimism could not have been founded in a more intense period of time as Frankl was a holocaust survivor. During his time in captivity he maintained this perspective; the ability to find meaning and purpose in life even in the wake of suffering. That is quite a powerful mindset to have, and its staggering to think how one could maintain such a mindset when death could come at any second and for any reason.
Let me state the definition more plainly: suffering is apart of our reality, tragic optimism is not about pretending that everything is fine, but instead it’s a recognition that despite the presence of pain and suffering, we still have the freedom to chose our response to it.
Frankl could have given up all hope and fall into despair, but instead he focused on his inner resources such as his ability to love, create, and find meaning. This allowed him to hold on to his humanity when it was being striped away all around him.
I simplify the complexity behind all of this with the simple mantra: “This is what’s happening right now, I’m doing the best I can”.
How Can Tragic Optimism Help Today?
Before giving some examples of how you could use this mindset today, let me just mention that this is helpful in moderation. Just like everything, if its overused it can become negative and one may even become to nihilistic. But how can we use this concept in our day to day lives? To help out I’m going to give good old Epictetus a call.
The state the world was thrown into during COVID was and is not in our control, at least most elements of it. Epictetus’s prime principle was not giving energy to things that are out of one’s control. A lot of us went into panic mode, and as the years ticked by, a wave of depression swept over us unlike never before. We (I’m saying we because I’m guilty of it to) let the outside world which is not in our control dictate how we felt and how we acted. This only makes things worse. Instead, using a combo of this idea and tragic optimism one could instead come to a understanding of “ok, this shit sucks, everything feels like its falling apart, there is suffering, I understand this. It’s out of my ability to control so instead I will focus on things I CAN control like my reaction and my passions.”
In a more lighthearted and silly example, every time I play Escape From Tarkov or even worse, League Of Legends, I got into the game with the mindset of “I’m likely about to die, but its ok” for EFT or “This will suck and I may lose, but its ok” for League. After telling myself that, I’m able to fully focus on my gameplay and be in the moment instead of the possible outcomes since well, I already convinced myself of them.
No matter what you want to apply the concept to, it can be a fantastic way to mange and deal with your stress.
Conclusion
A short one today folks, but sometimes short is better! That and I have been slacking on my writing, but either way I hope this is of some use to you. Tragic optimism can be a great way to navigate stressful and uncertain times when all other strategies seem to fail, though like all things, it’s important to keep it in moderation lest we fall into utter nihilism.
