Tragic Optimism for Our Suffering World

September 27, 2020

In last week’s podcast, I talked about Viktor Frankl’s idea of “Tragic Optimism” – that is, optimism “in spite of” the suffering in the world, the suffering brought on by pain, guilt, and death.

We don’t have to look too far to see suffering.  Maybe we are experiencing it ourselves.

Optimism – tragic optimism in the face of suffering – can surely help.

As he describes it, Tragic Optimism is an optimism in the face of tragedy and in view of the human potential which at its best allows for:

  1. turning suffering into a human achievement and accomplishment;
  2. deriving from guilt the opportunity to changes oneself for the better; and
  3. deriving from life’s transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action.

We have the opportunity to CHOOSE to suffering into achievement.  That choice takes work, it takes effort.  But it’s possible

For more, check out the podcast here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/41117703