Pessimism is too easy, even delicious, the badge and plume of intellectuals everywhere. It absolves the thinking classes of solutions. We excite ourselves with dark thoughts in plays, poems, novels, movies.
The author Ian McEwan, in his book "Nutshell," reflects on the allure of pessimism, describing it as a tempting and easy stance for many intellectuals. This mindset allows thinkers to avoid the burden of proposing constructive solutions to problems. Instead of seeking ways to improve situations, they often indulge in negative perspectives, which can be appealing and intellectually satisfying.
McEwan notes that such dark thoughts find expression in various forms of art, including plays, poems, novels, and movies. This tendency to revel in gloom reveals how contemporary culture often prioritizes pessimistic narratives, drawing audiences into deep contemplations on despair rather than uplifting or hopeful ideas.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
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