On Optimism

Optimism is in short supply today. Progressives foresee a world dominated by world fascism, and cite as evidence the continuing presence of Donald Trump on the American political scene. Conservatives foresee a world dominated by progressives, and lazy poor immigrants mooching off of hard-working white people.

That leads me to Ralph Waldo Emerson, and his quote here.  To write, “All things have contributed to your advancement” and therefore should be objects of your gratitude is arguably the most optimistic viewpoint ever asserted in the English language.