In every age and in every land, there have been optimists as well
as pessimists; in every literature, these two views on life have developed and
expressed themselves in different accents. But if we read a right story of the
world, we find that in some nations optimism is the dominant note, while others
develop a pessimistic bias.
Iqbal[1],
has been pointed out, has been profoundly influenced by the philosophy of the
great German poet philosopher, Goethe.
The dominant note of European poetry and philosophy is that of
optimism: it always triumph over pessimism and cynicism. The famous German
philosopher, Leibnitz was the first to express in philosophical terms the
optimistic view to life and Schopenhauer was the first German philosopher in the
west to build his philosophy on pessimism. In 1877, James fully wrote a book
entitled ‘pessimism’ in which he discussed optimism and pessimism, in their
philosophical bearings. He concludes the inquiry with the mark that optimism
and pessimism are deep-rooted tendencies of the human mind and that both are
needed for social uplift, the former pointing to an ideal and the latter
critically examining the means to that end.
In our view, optimism is two kinds: first, there is the easy,
self-complacent variety of optimism which always foolishly believes that
something good will finally come out of evil. Those who hold this kind of
optimism view on life often say that whatever God does he does for the best.
Secondly, there is the reasoned type of optimism, founded on
discretion and wisdom. Careful consideration of consideration of fact and
balanced conclusion reached in the end. The second type of optimism
characterizes as a wise man’s attitude toward life.
At the conclusion of the First World War in 1918, when the League
of Nation was set up, people became optimistic about the future of the world;
they thought that eternal peace would dawn. With the declaration of the second
war in 1939, people relapsed into pessimism and lost faith in the league of
Nation. Again, with the setting up of the United Nation Organization, the nation
of the world, great and small, are in the full tide of faith and hope and
optimism. As in international affairs so in private life, optimism, alternates
with pessimism. Hopes with fears, joys with sorrows. Life is, in fact, a long
struggle; dark and difficult is the way.
The crown of success is at the journey’s end. Optimism and
pessimism are, indeed, relative term; One cannot exist without something of the
other. The sufferings of misfortune drive the weaker minds into pessimism; and
the pessimist votes life a failure. But the stronger folk in the world are in
the majority; they look facts in the face, weigh them in the balance and at
long last develop the reasoned optimism, which
is to them a source of never – failing strength and inspiration. Suicide
is the last refuge of a pessimist; the ideal of making life and, if possible,
best is the optimist’s constant urge as
well as aspiration.[2]
[1] Sir Muhammad Iqbal, 1875-1938, Indian Muslim poet, philosopher and
political leader, who advocated the establishment of separate nation of Indian
Muslim and Hindus and is generally regarded as originator of Pakistan.
There are in the world two types of men who have two distinct
attitudes towards life, some men look to the bright side of life, they are full
of hope and are not easily cowed by disappointment and failures in life. They
are the optimists. And there are others who always look to the seamy side of
life. They are full of disgust with life. They would put wrong construction on
every little incident of life and read into it the curse of God. They are
pessimists. An optimist is sometimes defined as one who believes that this
world is the best of all possible worlds. While a pessimists is described as
one who believes that this world is the worst of all possible world.
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