Comments on: Lord Salisbury, Optimists and “Defeatists” http://larison.org/2006/01/13/lord-salisbury-optimists-and-defeatists/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:41:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2006/01/13/lord-salisbury-optimists-and-defeatists/#comment-145 Wed, 25 Jan 2006 18:25:25 +0000 http://larison.org/2006/01/13/lord-salisbury-optimists-and-defeatists/#comment-145 Sorry for the dreadfully delayed response. Thanks for your comments, Jeremy. Regarding your stepson, he at least has the excuse of inexperience and youth to explain why he doesn't understand the limits of what is possible and solveable. When I was a teenager I was easily given over to gnostic speculations and a boundless idealism that a cleansing, purifying revolution would come to set the world right again--then I grew up and realised that I had been very stupid. The professional optimists (and they really do make a living off of nothing more than writing and saying on television that everything will work out all right, and cite the occasional WWII analogy to make it stick) have no such excuses. They have been around long enough and should know better. Your stepson's reaction is interesting in another sense. It may suggest that the optimist also possesses an enormous sense of entitlement and a need for ready-made gratification--everything will work out all right in the end, and if it doesn't somebody's going to pay for ruining my fantasy and making me wait for what I want! Sorry for the dreadfully delayed response. Thanks for your comments, Jeremy. Regarding your stepson, he at least has the excuse of inexperience and youth to explain why he doesn’t understand the limits of what is possible and solveable. When I was a teenager I was easily given over to gnostic speculations and a boundless idealism that a cleansing, purifying revolution would come to set the world right again–then I grew up and realised that I had been very stupid. The professional optimists (and they really do make a living off of nothing more than writing and saying on television that everything will work out all right, and cite the occasional WWII analogy to make it stick) have no such excuses. They have been around long enough and should know better.

Your stepson’s reaction is interesting in another sense. It may suggest that the optimist also possesses an enormous sense of entitlement and a need for ready-made gratification–everything will work out all right in the end, and if it doesn’t somebody’s going to pay for ruining my fantasy and making me wait for what I want!

]]> by: Jeremy Holmes http://larison.org/2006/01/13/lord-salisbury-optimists-and-defeatists/#comment-144 Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:12:14 +0000 http://larison.org/2006/01/13/lord-salisbury-optimists-and-defeatists/#comment-144 Wonderful post, Dan. I think this captures one of, if not the, most basic problems in our time. I was having a discussion with my stepson a few days ago that touched on this subject -- even he, at 15 years old, holds to this idea. When I tried to convince him that difficulties -- sometimes insurmountable difficulties -- are inevitable in life, and that we can only do our best to accept and recover from them, and move on accordingly, he seemed truly dumbfounded. Even recounting one of my own experiences and how I recovered from it, his response was not some slight admiration at my attitude and resourcefulness, but rather surprise that I didn't sue the person who had caused me problems. Alas, I fear that too many people who shouldn't be approaching life with the perspective of a 15-year-old are doing just that. Again, wonderful post. One of your best so far, I think. Wonderful post, Dan.

I think this captures one of, if not the, most basic problems in our time. I was having a discussion with my stepson a few days ago that touched on this subject — even he, at 15 years old, holds to this idea. When I tried to convince him that difficulties — sometimes insurmountable difficulties — are inevitable in life, and that we can only do our best to accept and recover from them, and move on accordingly, he seemed truly dumbfounded. Even recounting one of my own experiences and how I recovered from it, his response was not some slight admiration at my attitude and resourcefulness, but rather surprise that I didn’t sue the person who had caused me problems.

Alas, I fear that too many people who shouldn’t be approaching life with the perspective of a 15-year-old are doing just that.

Again, wonderful post. One of your best so far, I think.

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