Pessimistic about Optimism

At what point does optimism become denial? It would seem that any sentient being vaguely familiar with world history would accept the following as fact: 

- religions will always fight, despite the fact that many of them have the same principals called by a different name;

- some men will always use brute force to dominate womankind;

- the current generation will always do what’s best for themselves rather than sacrificing for the better of the future of humanity;

- politicians will always be corrupt; marriages will always seem better from outside, and truth will always be relative and so on and so on;

But yet around the world, there are people who chose to believe that the world can and maybe even will get better. It would be a pleasure to see the world improve on my watch, but to want this and to believe it are two completely different stories. I do concede that with pressure the pendulum can swing in the direction of our aspirations, but before long human nature kicks back in and things return to the way they have always been. 

At times, when I see movements like “Occupy” or the “Arab Spring”, I get downright giddy that I am witnessing the brink of a new era. But, even though these movements gain momentary traction, we quickly see the “protectors of status quo” counter any advancements with their handy tools: money, power, politics, and fear. Why do they do this? Well self interest, of course. Why else? 

So why do humans not admit total defeat and continue to hope, or dare even strive, for change? I think its because just as much as short-sightedness, greed and egocentrism are ingrained in our genetic make-up, so too is the believe that we have the power to change our destiny (perhaps that goes back to the egocentrism?). But, those who have the passion for change for the better, must also learn to deal with disappointment when they ultimately fail at the task. How sad, but they will learn and stop trying eventually. And, to those shaking their heads in disgust at my pessimism as they read this, just know that in high school and college and even through all of my twenties, I was full of optimism about the future and my ability to influence the world for the better. It is only through the passing of time that one sees patterns of human behavior re-emerge time and time again. And, therefore one begins to feel the futility of his own actions in this great big world. It pains me to see these words in black and white and even more to believe it to my core. But, I have witnessed the same old political speeches made through new mouths and watched the same war unfold in a new time zone. What’s the definition of insanity? To expect a different world through the same actions.

And, through these years, I have learned that many humans will do what is best for themselves, and not what's good for humanity as a whole. This is the essence of all human corruption, our inability to acknowledge we are part of something greater. And, therefore for the success of the greater good, we each must sacrifice. But, humans greatest quality of individuality and manifest destiny is also, alas, our worst quality because it prevents us from acting for the greater-good unless  it is also self-serving. 

So, where does this leave us? I am sure that Italians will continue to avoid paying taxes even if it means all school children will suffer from decrepit classrooms and a flat out lack of text books. I am also sure that Americans will continue to buy big houses with big yards that waste a disgusting amount of electricity and water, even though it means they accelerate global warming and depletes the earth’s resources. I am also sure that Israelis will continue to breach their previously made borders and build in the West Bank, even if it means fellow Israelis will suffer terrorist attacks in direct response to these settlements. Mormons will continue to have more children per capita than is healthy for the planet. Japanese will continue to kill off entire shark species in order to sell  fin soup for $75 a bowl. I could go on and on, but we all get the picture. And that is what’s so sad. We all know that we are acting in our own best interest at the expense of others but we shove down any feelings of duty: to human kind, to earth; to our progeny; to anything but the here and now. And we let the greedy, self-indulgent feelings manifest instead. In order to rid ourselves of any guilt about this glaringly obvious myopia, we use our intellect to rationalize our pitiful actions with argument X and argument Y. If you can’t be bothered to think up your own rational reasons for your damaging actions, have no fear; one can be spoon-fed an excuse by the media or their chosen preachers and politicians. And, because there is strength in numbers we seek out others who participate in the same errant behavior to encase us in our lifestyles in a mutual promise to never hold a mirror up for the other. Isn’t it a shame that we couldn’t use these analytic skills and ingenuity to actually go towards making a better future rather than to make an elaborate excuse as to why we cannot? 

If we stopped defending our positions, we could all easily agree violence is bad, consuming too much is killing our planet, and religions’ purpose is to preach love and tolerance. We all would agree that our way of life is not sustainable. But making such admissions - out loud - forces us to change our behavior or feel guilt and shame for continuing the same bad behavior.  And, that is never going to happen because we are greedy self-interested bastards who want to feel good about ourselves even when we are doing bad selfish things. So, I say crank up that air conditioning, invite over your mirror image friends, ask your underpaid house-help to whip up some shark fin soup as you talk trash about your neighbor who worships differently than you, while your kids play out back in your million-gallon heated pool before eating their hamburgers grown in a slash-burned rainforest that used to be the home of a thousand year old indigenous tribe and for Christ’s sake, enjoy it because God knows your grandkids won’t be alive to!

Postscript: In case you failed to detect it because you were too busy automatically thinking of defenses for the way we live, this article is filled with irony. Its ironic that I write this message with the hope that it will cause maybe even just one reader to change just one of his or her errant ways. Its ironic that I once couldn’t stand to be around those who did not strive for change and now I completely sympathize with why they don’t bother. Its ironic that religions were intended to make lives better and yet they are the cause of so many people's suffering. And that wars are sometimes necessary for peace, and that starving people grow food for the fat. And that we hold the key to change yet we will kill off humanity before we even think of opening the door.