Optimism: More Than Just A Smile
Optimism is not about seeing the world through rose-colored glasses and believing that everything is perfect. Rather, it is about finding hope and strength, even when life feels at its darkest, and continuing to fight for both your personal goals and for the good of society. It is the ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel and to believe that things can get better, even when faced with difficult challenges. Optimism is acknowledging the problems and at the same time being determined to find solutions, seeing the difficult as transitory and manageable.
In my despair, I never gave up
In my own life, I have experienced how this form of optimism can be a decisive force. When I was burned out in 2005 and felt like the worst person in the world, there was still a part of me that believed everything would be okay in the end. Even in my darkest moments, I have been able to hold on to a sense of hope and a belief that there is a way forward, a solution to the problems. This has not always been easy, but it has helped me to keep fighting and to inspire others around me.
The grass roots change society
But optimism is not just about personal experiences. It also has an important role to play in society as a whole. History shows that major social changes often begin with ordinary people, grassroots, getting involved against injustice. It is the small, local initiatives that often set the big movements in motion. Philosophers such as Noam Chomsky have pointed out that it is precisely through grassroots activism that real change takes place. Although power may seem insurmountable at times, a small group of committed people can accomplish great things.
Single deviants can change
This is where social psychology comes in. Experiments conducted by social psychologist Solomon Asch in the 1950s show that people tend to conform to the opinions of the majority. At the same time, a single dissenting voice can cause others to question the majority and perhaps even change their minds. Likewise, Muzafer Sherif's studies in the 1930s showed that small changes in conversation can cause the entire group to change their behavior and opinions. This underlines how important it is not to remain silent, to dare to stand up for one's opinions even when one is in the minority. Because every time someone does it, the chance increases that more will dare to do the same.
The individual cannot solve everything in his own life by himself
There is also a moral aspect to this. While it is important that we as individuals do our best to deal with life's challenges, it is not enough. To bring about real change, collective efforts are required. A society that puts all the responsibility on the individual to succeed, without taking into account the structural obstacles that many face, creates a climate where inequality and stress only increase. It is a sign of the harshness of our times that we are expected to fend for ourselves, despite knowing that luck and social factors play a large role in our lives.
Unequal societies make all personal development more difficult
This is the book”The spirit of equality” by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett enters. It shows how today's unequal societies affect us all negatively, from top to bottom. Inequality not only leads to material poverty and severe mental illness with high probability for the most disadvantaged, but also creates social problems and mental illness for the whole society. People in more unequal societies suffer more from obesity, have shorter life spans and experience higher levels of stress and anxiety. This affects not only the most vulnerable, but also those who are higher up in the social hierarchy. A society where a few have a lot while many have little is a society where no one can feel really safe.
Together we create change
But there is hope. History has shown time and time again that when people come together to fight injustice, they can bring about real change. It's not always easy, and it takes courage to stand up to power, especially when you feel like you're alone in your fight. But even when a single person dares to speak out, it can have a huge impact. The more people who dare to resist, the more difficult it will be for the authorities to silence the opposition.
Everyday activism is democracy in practice
Social critic and philosopher Noam Chomsky reminds us of the importance of grassroots activism. He believes that real politics is not about voting every four years, but about constantly being active, organizing and fighting for the changes you want to see. He highlights how movements such as Black Lives Matter and the Sunrise Movement have managed to influence the political agenda through persistent active work. It is not through individual achievements that society changes, but through collective action.
Personal care important
At the same time, it is important that we take care of ourselves. There are many ways to deal with stress and anxiety on an individual level, from physical exercise to meditation and personal development. These strategies are important, but they are not enough. We must also work to create a more just and equal society, where everyone has the opportunity to live a good life. Social activist Jan Wiklund points out that individual efforts are not enough; we must also act collectively to change the structures that create inequality and stress.
We are not alone
It is also important to remember that we are not alone in our struggle. When we share our thoughts and ideas with others, we not only spread knowledge, but also create a community that can lead to real change. Our conversations and discussions can affect more people than we might think, and together we can achieve great things.
Small groups and single people are a good start
Margaret Mead, a prominent cultural anthropologist, once said: “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever did.” Her words remind us that even the smallest actions can make a big difference, and that we all have a role to play in creating a better future.
So let's keep fighting, both for our own lives and for society as a whole. Let us be brave enough to stand up against injustice, even when it feels like we are alone. And let's never forget that every small action can make a difference. Optimism is not about turning a blind eye to problems, but about finding solutions and never giving up hope for a better world.
More reading
Small changes in more equal societies good for longer, good lives
Commitment to a better world can increase one's own happiness
Sometimes we are happiest when we get it wrong
Better journalism with greater focus on the question why
Normal to not always have maximum happiness
Treat yourself to rest and pleasure quite often
The new Series Parade cheers you up with apt satire
The root of good - the perfect red-green-pink summer romance
The good life; some thoughts on the first of May
Red right for those who desire the good life
Yes Oscar. A famous story is about a wise Indian. Saw the picture of a weathered beautiful man in an art museum. He was a boy's grandfather who spoke about the question of life. He spoke of there being two wolves within him. One was evil. The other was good. He said to the boy:
- Whoever I feed wins
We must understand that we can stumble and make mistakes and feel guilty. The bad wolf whispers.
Beside us is Christ who gives us the light as our optimism. He wants to lead us into the future. He has a different timing for us if we believe ❤️
<3
Yes Oscar. A famous story is about a wise Indian. Saw the picture of a weathered beautiful man in an art museum. He was a boy's grandfather who spoke about the question of life. He spoke of there being two wolves within him. One was evil. The other was good. He said to the boy:
- Whoever I feed wins
We must understand that we can stumble and make mistakes and feel guilty. The bad wolf whispers.
Next to us is Christ who gives us the light. He wants to lead us into the future. He has a different timing for us if we believe ❤️
It is man's cursed duty to be optimistic, said Hasse Alfredson. Maybe because nothing is as self-fulfilling as hopelessness. If you decide that it doesn't work, then it doesn't work.
Having said that, I would like to point out that it doesn't work either way. Most things require some effort. We have a lot of unpleasantness looming – rising temperatures, resulting agricultural crises, great power tensions that risk escalating into nuclear war. But if those who have made it so that these unpleasantness exist are allowed to continue to wreak havoc, the conditions for a somewhat happy outcome are small.
The wise old liberal politician Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in the 1830s that when people think only of their own private affairs, power becomes tyrannical, because then it alone is concerned with public affairs.
It must have competition.
How it turns out in the end is a consequence of a compromise. But only between those who actually participate in the decision-making process. If you leave the walk over, it will be others who compromise.
Just, get up your grass roots.
As I see it, grassroots organizations are the most lacking. The large nationwide organizations come later.
Sidney Tarrow studied the wave of popular movements in Italy around 1965-75 and came to the conclusion that all great changes started with a few quite a few in a quite small place doing something about a problem that many could perceive as important. Then it spread in such a way that the small initiatives came together and formed campaigns, and then the large organizations, e.g. unions, raise the issue so as not to be overlooked. See Power in movement, https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/power-in-movement/E9FC85E59075F0705549710D6A8BD858
It was the same in Norway. The fact that they have a more lively organized public opinion against the privatization of public services is due to the fact that in some places they started local campaigns to keep their local hospital. In some way that I do not know, then their counterpart at Kommunal got involved in the matter and ensured that the campaign gained muscle. The old trade unionist Asbjørn Wahl suggested that the Norwegian Labor Party had simply failed to purge all the independent thinkers who had thereby gained positions in the trade union movement, including Jan Davidsen who was chairman 2003-13.
Anyway, had there not been a local resistance, nothing would have happened. That's always where it starts.
It is always the tight collectives that have the power to do something serious, see http://www.folkrorelser.org/metoder/riter.html