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Optimism : an essay

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Optimism: An Essay by Helen Keller

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Helen Keller on Optimism

By maria popova.

She opens the first half of the book, Optimism Within , by reflecting on the universal quest for happiness, that alluring and often elusive art-science at the heart of all human aspiration:

Could we choose our environment, and were desire in human undertakings synonymous with endowment, all men would, I suppose, be optimists. Certainly most of us regard happiness as the proper end of all earthly enterprise. The will to be happy animates alike the philosopher, the prince and the chimney-sweep. No matter how dull, or how mean, or how wise a man is, he feels that happiness is his indisputable right.

But Keller admonishes against the “what-if” mentality that pegs our happiness on the attainment of material possession , which always proves vacant , rather than on accessing a deeper sense of purpose :

Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be! Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life, — if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing.

Recounting her own miraculous blossoming from the inner captivity of a deaf-mute to the intellectual height of a cultural luminary, she brings exquisite earnestness to this rhetorical question:

Once I knew only darkness and stillness. Now I know hope and joy. Once I fretted and beat myself against the wall that shut me in. Now I rejoice in the consciousness that I can think, act and attain heaven. … Can anyone who escaped such captivity, who has felt the thrill and glory of freedom, be a pessimist? My early experience was thus a leap from bad to good. If I tried, I could not check the momentum of my first leap out of the dark; to move breast forward as a habit learned suddenly at that first moment of release and rush into the light. With the first word I used intelligently, I learned to live, to think, to hope.

Still, Keller is careful to distinguish between intelligent and reckless optimism:

Optimism that does not count the cost is like a house builded on sand. A man must understand evil and be acquainted with sorrow before he can write himself an optimist and expect others to believe that he has reason for the faith that is in him.

Reflecting once again on her own experience, she argues that, much like the habits of mind William James advocated for as the secret of life , optimism is a choice:

I know what evil is. Once or twice I have wrestled with it, and for a time felt its chilling touch on my life; so I speak with knowledge when I say that evil is of no consequence, except as a sort of mental gymnastic. For the very reason that I have come in contact with it, I am more truly an optimist. I can say with conviction that the struggle which evil necessitates is one of the greatest blessings. It makes us strong, patient, helpful men and women. It lets us into the soul of things and teaches us that although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. My optimism, then, does not rest on the absence of evil, but on a glad belief in the preponderance of good and a willing effort always to cooperate with the good, that it may prevail. I try to increase the power God has given me to see the best in everything and every one, and make that Best a part of my life. The world is sown with good; but unless I turn my glad thoughts into practical living and till my own field, I cannot reap a kernel of the good.

Keller explores the two anchors of optimism — one’s inner life and the outer world — and admonishes against the toxic nature of doubt :

I demand that the world be good, and lo, it obeys. I proclaim the world good, and facts range themselves to prove my proclamation overwhelmingly true. To what good I open the doors of my being, and jealously shut them against what is bad. Such is the force of this beautiful and willful conviction, it carries itself in the face of all opposition. I am never discouraged by absence of good. I never can be argued into hopelessness. Doubt and mistrust are the mere panic of timid imagination, which the steadfast heart will conquer, and the large mind transcend.

Like Isabel Allende, who sees creativity as order to the chaos of life , Keller riffs on Carlyle and argues for creative enterprise as a source of optimism:

Work, production, brings life out of chaos, makes the individual a world, an order; and order is optimism.

And yet she is sure to caution against the cult of productivity , a reminder all the timelier today as we often squander presence in favor of productivity , and uses Darwin’s famed daily routine to make her point:

Darwin could work only half an hour at a time; yet in many diligent half-hours he laid anew the foundations of philosophy. I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. It is my service to think how I can best fulfill the demands that each day makes upon me, and to rejoice that others can do what I cannot.

She sees optimism, like Italo Calvino did literature , as a collective enterprise:

I love the good that others do; for their activity is an assurance that whether I can help or not, the true and the good will stand sure.

Though her tone at times may appear to be overly religious on the surface, Keller’s skew is rather philosophical, demonstrating that, not unlike science has a spiritual quality , optimism is a kind of secular religion:

I trust, and nothing that happens disturbs my trust. I recognize the beneficence of the power which we all worship as supreme — Order, Fate, the Great Spirit, Nature, God. I recognize this power in the sun that makes all things grow and keeps life afoot. I make a friend of this indefinable force, and straightway I feel glad, brave and ready for any lot Heaven may decree for me. This is my religion of optimism. […] Deep, solemn optimism, it seems to me, should spring from this firm belief in the presence of God in the individual; not a remote, unapproachable governor of the universe, but a God who is very near every one of us, who is present not only in earth, sea and sky, but also in every pure and noble impulse of our hearts, “the source and centre of all minds, their only point of rest.”

In the second half of the book, Optimism Without , she makes an eloquent addition to these notable definitions of philosophy and touches on the ancient quandary of whether what we perceive as external reality might be an illusion :

Philosophy is the history of a deaf-blind person writ large. From the talks of Socrates up through Plato, Berkeley and Kant, philosophy records the efforts of human intelligence to be free of the clogging material world and fly forth into a universe of pure idea. A deaf-blind person ought to find special meaning in Plato’s Ideal World . These things which you see and hear and touch are not the reality of realities, but imperfect manifestations of the Idea, the Principal, the Spiritual; the Idea is the truth, the rest is delusion.

Much like legendary filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky advised the young to learn to enjoy their own company , Keller argues for philosophy as the gateway to finding richness in life without leaving one’s self — an art all the more important in the age of living alone . She writes:

My brethren who enjoy the fullest use of the senses are not aware of any reality which may not equally well be in reach of my mind. Philosophy gives to the mind the prerogative of seeing truth, and bears us not a realm where I, who am blind, and not different from you who see. … It seemed to me that philosophy had been written for my special consolation, whereby I get even with some modern philosophers who apparently think that I was intended as an experimental case for their special instruction! But in a little measure my small voice of individual experience does join in the declaration of philosophy that the good is the only world, and that world is a world of spirit. It is also a universe where order is All, where an unbroken logic holds the parts together, where distance defines itself as non-existence, where evil, as St. Augustine held, is delusion, and therefore is not. The meaning of philosophy to me is not only its principles, but also in the happy isolation of its great expounders. They were seldom of the world, even when like Plato and Leibnitz they moved in its courts and drawing rooms. To the tumult of life they were deaf, and they were blind to its distraction and perplexing diversities. Sitting alone, but not in darkness, they learned to find everything in themselves…

In a sentiment Neil deGrasse Tyson would come to echo more than a century later in his articulate case for why our smallness amidst the cosmos should be a source of assurance rather than anxiety , Keller observes:

Thus from the philosophy I learn that we see only shadows and know only in part, and that all things change; but the mind, the unconquerable mind, compasses all truth, embraces the universe as it is, converts the shadows to realities and makes tumultuous changes seem but moments in an eternal silence, or short lines in the infinite theme of perfection, and the evil but “a halt on the way to good.” Though with my hand I grasp only a small part of the universe, with my spirit I see the whole, and in my thought I can compass the beneficent laws by which it is governed. The confidence and trust which these conceptions inspire teach me to rest safe in my life as in a fate, and protect me from spectral doubts and fears.

Keller argues of America as a mecca of optimism. And yet, as hearteningly patriotic as her case may be, a look at the present state of the plight of marriage equality , the gaping wound of income inequality , and the indignity of immigrants’ struggles (of whom I am one) reveals how much further we have to go to live up to this optimistic ideal:

It is true, America has devoted herself largely to the solution of material problems — breaking the fields, opening mines, irrigating the deserts, spanning the continent with railroads; but she is doing these things in a new way, by educating her people, by placing at the service of every man’s need every resource of human skill. She is transmuting her industrial wealth into the education of her workmen, so that unskilled people shall have no place in American life, so that all men shall bring mind and soul to the control of matter. Her children are not drudges and slaves. The Constitution has declared it, and the spirit of our institutions has confirmed it. The best the land can teach them they shall know. They shall learn that there is no upper class in their country, and no lower, and they shall understand how it is that God and His world are for everybody. America might do all this, and still be selfish, still be a worshipper of Mammon. But America is the home of charity as well as commerce. … Who shall measure the sympathy, skill and intelligence with which she ministers to all who come to her, and lessens the ever-swelling tide of poverty, misery and degradation which every year rolls against her gates from all the nations? When I reflect on all these facts, I cannot but think that, Tolstoi and other theorists to the contrary, it is a splendid thing to be an American. In America the optimist finds abundant reason for confidence in the present and hope for the future, and this hope, this confidence, may well extend over all the great nations of the earth.

Further on, she adds, “It is significant that the foundation of that law is optimistic” — and yet what more pessimistic a law than an immigration policy based on the assumption that if left to their own devices, more immigrants would do harm than would do good, what sadder than a policy built on the belief that affording love the freedom of equality would result in destruction rather than dignity?

Still, some of Keller’s seemingly over-optimistic contentions have been since confirmed by modern science — for instance, the decline of violence , which she rightly observes:

If we compare our own time with the past, we find in modern statistics a solid foundation for a confident and buoyant world-optimism. Beneath the doubt, the unrest, the materialism, which surround us still glows and burns at the world’s best life a steadfast faith. […] During the past fifty years crime has decreased. True, the records of to-day contain a longer list of crime. But our statistics are more complete and accurate than the statistics of times past. Besides, there are many offenses on the list which half a century ago would not have been thought of as crimes. This shows that the public conscience is more sensitive than it ever was. Our definition of crime has grown stricter,* our punishment of it more lenient and intelligent. The old feeling of revenge has largely disappeared. It is no longer an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The criminal is treated as one who is diseased. He is confined not merely for punishment, but because he is a menace to society. While he is under restraint, he is treated with human care and disciplined so that his mind shall be cured of its disease, and he shall be restored to society able to do his part of its work.

* Though this may be mostly true on a theoretical level, practical disgraces to democracy like the epidemic of rape in the military offer a tragic counterpoint.

In reflecting on the relationship between education and the good life , Keller argues for the broadening of education from an industrial model of rote memorization to fostering “scholars who can link the unlinkable” . Though this ideal, too, is a long way from reality today , Keller’s words shine as a timeless guiding light to aspire toward:

Education broadens to include all men, and deepens to teach all truths. Scholars are no longer confined to Greek, Latin and mathematics, but they also study science converts the dreams of the poet, the theory of the mathematician and the fiction of the economist into ships, hospitals and instruments that enable one skilled hand to perform the work of a thousand. The student of to-day is not asked if he has learned his grammar. Is he a mere grammar machine, a dry catalogue of scientific facts, or has he acquired the qualities of manliness? His supreme lesson is to grapple with great public questions, to keep his mind hospitable to new idea and new views of truth, to restore the finer ideals that are lost sight of in the struggle for wealth and to promote justice between man and man. He learns that there may be substitutes for human labor — horse-power and machinery and books; but “there are no substitutes for common sense, patience, integrity, courage.”

In a sentiment philosopher Judith Butler would come to second in her fantastic recent commencement address on the value of the humanities as a tool of empathy , Keller argues:

The highest result of education is tolerance. Long ago men fought and died for their faith; but it took ages to teach them the other kind of courage — the courage to recognize the faiths of their brethren and their rights of conscience. Tolerance is the first principle of community; it is the spirit which conserves the best that all men think. No loss by flood and lightening, no destruction of cities and temples by the hostile forces of nature, has deprived man of so many noble lives and impulses as those which his tolerance has destroyed.

“However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light,” Stanley Kubrick memorably asserted , and it’s hard not to see in his words an echo of Keller’s legacy. She presages the kernel of Martin Seligman’s seminal concept of learned optimism and writes:

The test of all beliefs is their practical effect in life. If it be true that optimism compels the world forward, and pessimism retards it, then it is dangerous to propagate a pessimistic philosophy. One who believes that the pain in the world outweighs the joy, and expresses that unhappy conviction, only adds to the pain. … Life is a fair field, and the right will prosper if we stand by our guns. Let pessimism once take hold of the mind, and life is all topsy-turvy, all vanity and vexation of spirit. … If I regarded my life from the point of view of the pessimist, I should be undone. I should seek in vain for the light that does not visit my eyes and the music that does not ring in my ears. I should beg night and day and never be satisfied. I should sit apart in awful solitude, a prey to fear and despair. But since I consider it a duty to myself and to others to be happy, I escape a misery worse than any physical deprivation.

In the final and most practical part of the book, The Practice of Optimism , Keller urges:

Who shall dare let his incapacity for hope or goodness cast a shadow upon the courage of those who bear their burdens as if they were privileges? The optimist cannot fall back, cannot falter; for he knows his neighbor will be hindered by his failure to keep in line. He will therefore hold his place fearlessly and remember the duty of silence. Sufficient unto each heart is its own sorrow. He will take the iron claws of circumstance in his hand and use them as tools to break away the obstacle that block his path. He will work as if upon him alone depended the establishment of heaven and earth.

She once again return to the notion of optimism as a collective good rather than merely an individual choice, even a national asset:

Every optimist moves along with progress and hastens it, while every pessimist would keep the worlds at a standstill. The consequence of pessimism in the life of a nation is the same as in the life of the individual. Pessimism kills the instinct that urges men to struggle against poverty, ignorance and crime, and dries up all the fountains of joy in the world. […] Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.

In an ever-timelier remark in our age of fear-mongering sensationalism in the news — a remark E. B. White would come to second decades later in arguing that a writer “should tend to lift people up, not lower them down” — Keller points to the responsibility of the press in upholding its share of this collective enterprise:

Our newspapers should remember this. The press is the pulpit of the modern world, and on the preachers who fill it much depends. If the protest of the press against unrighteous measures is to avail, then for ninety nine days the word of the preacher should be buoyant and of good cheer, so that on the hundredth day the voice of censure may be a hundred times strong.

Keller ends on a note of inextinguishable faith in the human spirit and timeless hope for the future of our world:

As I stand in the sunshine if a sincere and earnest optimism, my imagination “paints yet more glorious triumphs on the cloud-curtain of the future.” Out of the fierce struggle and turmoil of contending systems and powers I see a brighter spiritual era slowly emerge —an era in which there shall be no England, no France, no Germany, no America, no this people or that, but one family, the human race; one law, peace; one need, harmony; one means, labor…

Pair Optimism — which is available as a free download in multiple formats from Project Gutenberg — with these 7 heartening reads on the subject , then revisit Keller’s stirring first experience of dance and her memorable meeting with Mark Twain , who later became her creative champion and confidante .

— Published June 21, 2013 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2013/06/21/helen-keller-on-optimism/ —

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Optimism – An Essay by Helen Keller (1903)

Fact is, there is plenty of it if you look for it.

In 2009 I was searching for some inspiration I came across this wonderful essay by Helen Keller. And, it was just the right medicine. Deaf, dumb and blind…and still an optimist! After reading it I was reminded I have no real problems, only a bruised ego now and again. And I’ve read this every year since…so I don’t forget it!

So, time to dust ourselves off, stop any whining, get excited and do something about it!

What follows are some of my favorite quotes from the essay with a few comments thrown in:

• Once I knew the depth where no hope was, and darkness lay on the face of all things. Then love came and set my soul free. (We could stop right there!)
• It is a mistake always to contemplate the good and ignore the evil, because by making people neglectful it lets in disaster. There is a dangerous optimism of ignorance and indifference. (Being an optimist doesn’t mean taking foolish risks.)
• I can say with conviction that the struggle which evil necessitates is one of the greatest blessings. It makes us strong, patient, helpful men and women.
• I proclaim the world good, and facts range themselves to prove my proclamation overwhelmingly true.
• Doubt and mistrust are the mere panic of timid imagination, which the steadfast heart will conquer, and the large mind transcend. (I love it…“timid” imagination”)
• The desire and will to work is optimism itself. (And those who can’t or won’t are easily dis-contented)
• Up, up! Whatsoever the hand findeth to do, do it with thy whole might. (Quoting Carlyle.)
• I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.
• He (referring to the philosopher Spinoza) loved the good for its own sake. Like many great spirits he accepted his place in the world, and confided himself childlike to a higher power, believing that it worked through his hands and predominated in his being. He trusted implicitly, and that is what I do. Deep, solemn optimism, it seems to me, should spring from this firm belief in the presence of God in the individual; not a remote, unapproachable governor of the universe, but a God who is very near every one of use, who is present not only in earth, sea and sky, but also in every pure and noble impulse of our hearts, “the source and center of all minds, their point of rest.”
• Though with my hand I grasp only a small part of the universe, with my spirit I see the whole, and in my thought I can compass the beneficent laws by which it is governed. (She was very “New Age”)
• Rome, too, left the world a rich inheritance. Through the vicissitudes of history her laws and ordered government have stood a majestic object-lesson for the ages. But when the stern, frugal character of her people ceased to be the bone and sinew of her civilization, Rome fell. (A lesson for all Americans and their weak politicians.)
• The highest result of education is tolerance….Tolerance is the finest principle of community; it is the spirit which conserves the best that all men think.
• To be an American is to be an optimist. (At least it was in 1903.)
• Since I consider it a duty to myself and to others to be happy, I escape a misery worse than any physical deprivation.
• The optimist cannot fall back, cannot falter; for he knows his neighbor will be hindered by his failure to keep in line. (Our life is not our own)
• No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.
• Thus the optimist believes, attempts, achieves. He stands always in the sunlight. Some day the wonderful, the inexpressible, arrives and shines upon him, and he is there to welcome it. His soul meets his own and beats a glad march to every new discovery, every fresh victory over difficulties, every addition to human knowledge and happiness.
• Shakespeare is the prince of optimists.
• Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.
• If you are born blind, search the treasures of darkness. (My favorite quote.)
• Christmas Day is the festival of optimism.
• Optimism is the harmony between man’s spirit and the spirit of God pronouncing His works good.

If it were my company or household I would make sure everybody reads this essay. You can download it for free by going to http://www.archive.org/details/optimismessay00kelliala

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Optimistic New Year,

Don Phin, (an eternal optimist!)   

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Essay on Optimism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Optimism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Optimism

Understanding optimism.

Optimism is a hopeful outlook towards life. It is choosing to see the bright side of things and expecting the best possible outcome.

The Power of Optimism

Optimism can boost our mood and motivation. It helps us to persevere and overcome challenges. Optimistic people are happier, healthier, and more successful.

Practicing Optimism

We can practice optimism by focusing on positive thoughts, expressing gratitude, and staying hopeful. Remember, even in tough times, there’s always something good to look forward to.

Also check:

• Speech on Optimism

250 Words Essay on Optimism

The concept of optimism, a mental attitude reflecting a belief or hope that the outcome of specific endeavors will be positive, is not just a mindset but a powerful tool that shapes our perception of the world. It is a beacon of light in the face of adversity, a guiding principle that encourages resilience and perseverance.

Optimism and Psychological Well-being

Optimism plays a pivotal role in psychological well-being. It is closely linked to mental health, as it can reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders. Optimists tend to see challenges as temporary hurdles, not as insurmountable obstacles. This positive outlook enables them to maintain a healthier psychological state, even in the face of adversity.

Optimism and Physical Health

Not only does optimism impact mental health, but it also has profound effects on physical well-being. Studies show that optimists generally have better cardiovascular health and stronger immune systems. They are less likely to succumb to chronic diseases and have a higher life expectancy. Their positive outlook motivates them to maintain a healthier lifestyle, thus contributing to improved physical health.

Optimism: A Catalyst for Success

In the realm of success, optimism acts as a catalyst. It encourages risk-taking, fosters resilience, and promotes a growth mindset. Optimists view failures as learning opportunities, not as a reflection of their abilities. This outlook cultivates an environment of innovation and progress, leading to greater personal and professional success.

In conclusion, optimism is not just a positive attitude but a life-enhancing tool. It is a testament to the power of the human mind and its ability to shape our reality. By embracing optimism, we can improve our mental and physical health, foster resilience, and pave the way for success.

500 Words Essay on Optimism

Introduction.

Optimism, a term derived from the Latin word “optimum,” is a psychological attribute that reflects an individual’s positive perspective towards life. It is the tendency to perceive the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. This essay explores the concept of optimism, its implications, benefits, and the role it plays in shaping our lives.

The Concept of Optimism

Optimism is a cognitive characteristic that inclines individuals to expect positive outcomes, even in the face of adversity. It is a crucial element in human resilience and a key factor in overcoming challenges. Optimists perceive setbacks as temporary and manageable, rather than insurmountable obstacles. They believe in their ability to influence events and outcomes, fostering a sense of self-efficacy.

The Power of Positive Thinking

Positive thinking, a cornerstone of optimism, is not about ignoring life’s less pleasant situations. Instead, it involves approaching these circumstances with a positive and productive mindset. Optimists believe they can navigate through difficulties and find solutions. This perspective can significantly impact our physical and mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Implications of Optimism

Optimism has profound implications for various aspects of life. It is associated with better health outcomes, increased longevity, higher levels of happiness, and improved coping skills. Optimists tend to have stronger immune systems, lower levels of stress and depression, and higher overall well-being. Furthermore, optimism can enhance academic and professional performance by fostering persistence, engagement, and a proactive attitude.

Optimism and Resilience

Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is closely linked with optimism. Optimists are more likely to exhibit resilience because they view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than threats. They are better equipped to cope with stress, maintain a positive outlook during tough times, and recover more quickly from traumatic events.

Optimism: A Skill to be Cultivated

While some people may naturally have a more optimistic outlook, optimism can also be nurtured and developed. Cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, and gratitude exercises can help cultivate optimism. The key is to challenge negative thought patterns and replace them with more positive, constructive ones.

In conclusion, optimism is a powerful psychological attribute that can significantly influence our life experiences. It is not merely a passive expectation of positive outcomes but an active engagement in life, fostering resilience, enhancing well-being, and promoting success. As we navigate through the complexities of life, cultivating an optimistic outlook can serve as a guiding light, illuminating the path to personal growth and fulfillment.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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The Politics of Pessimism

Why so many American leaders are advancing a new kind of nihilism

It had been clear for years that China was rising and rising—building rail lines and airports and skyscrapers at a rate that put the United States to shame, purchasing the favor of poorer countries, filling the world with its wares—when, in April 2014, I happened upon a bit of news. CNBC , citing a “new study from the world’s leading statistical agencies,” reported that China’s rapidly growing economy would rank first in the world, surpassing the United States’, by as soon as the end of the year. Our century-plus reign as the world’s wealthiest nation was over, or about to be. What a run we’d had!

But the study, which used debatable methodology, turned out to be wrong. It interested me less than something else I learned when I began poking around the internet to put it in some sort of context. I discovered that most Americans thought that China already had become our economic superior. And they’d thought that—erroneously—for several years.

In 2011, Gallup polled Americans on the question of whether the United States, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, or India was the leading economic power in the world. More than 50 percent answered China, while fewer than 35 percent said the United States. Those numbers held when Gallup did the same polling the next year and the next and in 2014, when the portion of Americans choosing China rose to 52 percent and the portion choosing America dipped to 31 percent. That’s a whopping differential, especially considering its wrongness.

China’s economy still lags behind ours, although Americans have been reluctant to recognize that. In 2020, when China was pilloried as the cradle of the coronavirus pandemic, 50 percent of Americans indeed saw our economy as the mightier of the two. But that rediscovered swagger was short-lived. In 2021, 50 percent gave the crown back to China. Last year, Americans saw the economies as essentially tied.

From the May 1888 issue: What is pessimism?

A fundamental misperception of global affairs by Americans isn’t surprising. Too many, if not most, of us are disinclined to look or think beyond our shores. But this particular misperception startled and fascinated me: We’d traditionally been such a confident, even cocky, nation, enamored of our military might (and often too quick to use it), showy with our foreign aid, schooled in stories—true ones—about how desperately foreigners wanted to make new lives here and what extraordinary risks they took to do so. We saw ourselves as peerless, and we spoke a distinctively American vocabulary of infinite possibility, boundless optimism, and better tomorrows.

American dream. American exceptionalism. Land of opportunity. Endless frontier. Manifest destiny. Those were the pretty phrases that I grew up with. We were inventors, expanders, explorers. Putting the first man on the moon wasn’t just a matter of bragging rights—though it was indeed that, and we bragged plenty about it. It was also an act of self-definition, an affirmation of American identity. We stretched the parameters of the navigable universe the way we stretched the parameters of everything else.

That perspective, obviously, was a romanticized one, achieved through a selective reading of the past. It discounted the experiences of many Black Americans. It minimized the degree to which they and other minorities were shut out from all of this inventing and exploring. It mingled self-congratulatory fiction with fact. And it probably imprinted itself more strongly on me than on some of my peers because of my particular family history. My father’s parents were uneducated immigrants who found in the United States exactly what they’d left Southern Italy for: more material comfort, greater economic stability, and a more expansive future for their children, including my father, who got a scholarship to an Ivy League school, went on to earn an M.B.A., and became a senior partner in one of the country’s biggest accounting firms. He put a heated in-ground pool in the backyard. He put me and my three siblings in private schools. He put our mother in a mink. And he pinched himself all the while.

It was nonetheless true that the idea of the United States as an unrivaled engine of social mobility and generator of wealth held sway with many Americans, who expected their children to do better than they’d done and their children’s children to do even better. That was the mythology, anyway. Sure, we hit lows, but we climbed out of them. We suffered doubts, but we snapped back. The tumult of the late 1960s, Richard Nixon’s degradation of the presidency, and the gas lines, international humiliation, and stagflation of Jimmy Carter’s presidency gave way, in 1980, to the election of Ronald Reagan, who declared that it was “morning again in America” and found an abundance of voters eager to welcome that dawn, to reconnect with an optimism that seemed more credibly and fundamentally American than deviations from it.

I don’t detect that optimism around me anymore. In its place is a crisis of confidence, a pervasive sense among most Americans that our best days are behind us, and that our problems are multiplying faster than we can find solutions for them. It’s a violent rupture of our national psyche. It’s a whole new American pessimism.

Well, maybe not entirely new. In Democracy in America , published in 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville noted a perpetually unsatisfied yearning in Americans, who, he wrote, “are forever brooding over advantages they do not possess.” He found Americans unusually attuned to their misfortunes, and that made (and still makes) sense: With big promises come big disappointments. Boundless dreams are bound to be unattainable.

Even in periods of American history that we associate with prosperity and tranquility, like the 1950s, there were rumblings and disenchantment: Rebel Without a Cause , The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit . And the late 1960s and early ’70s were an oxymoronic braid of surgent hope for necessary change and certainty that the whole American enterprise was corrupt. There were headstrong and heady demands for dignity, for equality, for justice. There were also cities on fire and assassinations. But the overarching story—the general trend line—of the United States in the second half of the 20th century was progress.

Read: The patron saint of political violence

Then, in 2001, the Twin Towers fell. In 2008, the global economy nearly collapsed. By 2012, I noticed that our “shining city on a hill,” to use one of Reagan’s favorite terms for the United States, was enveloped in a fog that wouldn’t lift. In June of that year, Jeb Bush visited Manhattan; had breakfast with several dozen journalists, including me; and mused about the country’s diminished position and fortunes. Perhaps because his political life was then on pause—he’d finished his two terms as Florida governor and his 2016 presidential campaign was still years away—he allowed himself a bluntness that he might not have otherwise. “We’re in very difficult times right now, very different times than we’ve been,” he said, and while that was already more downbeat than mainstream politicians’ usual prognostications, his following words were even darker: “We’re in decline.”

In the years that followed, I paid greater and greater heed to evidence that supported his appraisal, which mirrored my own. I was struck by how tempered and tentative President Barack Obama seemed by the second year of his second term, when he often mulled the smallness, not the largeness, of his place in history, telling David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker , that each president is just “part of a long-running story. We just try to get our paragraph right.” “Mr. President,” my New York Times colleague Maureen Dowd wrote in response, “I am just trying to get my paragraph right. You need to think bigger.”

Of course, when Obama had thought bigger, he’d bucked up against an American political system that was polarized and paralyzed—that had turned “hope and change” into tweak and tinker. Obama’s longtime adviser David Axelrod told the Times ’ Michael Shear: “I think to pretend that ‘It’s morning in America’ is a misreading of the times.”

That was in 2014, when I registered and explored the revelation that so many Americans thought China was wealthier than we were. Around the same time, I also noticed a long memo by the prominent Democratic political strategist Doug Sosnik in Politico . He observed that for 10 years running, the percentage of Americans who believed that the United States was on the wrong track had exceeded the percentage who thought it was on the right track. “At the core of Americans’ anger and alienation is the belief that the American dream is no longer attainable,” Sosnik wrote. “For the first time in our country’s history, there is more social mobility in Europe than in the United States.”

That “first time” turned out to be no fleeting aberration. Since then, the negative markers have multiplied, and the negative mood has intensified. The fog over our shining city won’t lift. Almost every year from 2000 to the present, the suicide rate has increased. A kind of nihilism has spread, a “rot at the very soul of our nation,” as Mike Allen wrote last year in his Axios newsletter summarizing a Wall Street Journal /NORC poll that charted both the collapse of faith in American institutions and the abandonment of tradition and traditional values. Only 38 percent of respondents said that patriotism was very important, in contrast with 70 percent of respondents from a similar Journal /NBC survey a quarter century earlier, in 1998.

To recognize those dynamics is to understand America’s current politics, in which so many politicians—presidential candidates included—whip up support less by talking about the brightness of the country’s future than by warning of the apocalypse if the other side wins. They’re not clarions of American glory. They’re bulwarks against American ruin.

This essay was adapted from the forthcoming The Age of Grievance .

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5 ways transformational leaders can give their team a competitive edge.

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Ryan Lumsden is President of the Renters and Fee-Based Solutions business segment at Assurant , a Fortune 500 company.

While much has been written about the rise of AI and the importance of staying ahead of the technology curve, there has been less focus on the fundamentals leaders need to adopt to help motivate employees to succeed in this new and constantly evolving business environment.

Just as embracing new technology involves overcoming resistance and adapting to new ways of doing things, leadership requires courage, confidence, perseverance and the will to challenge traditional approaches and the status quo.

Here are five ways transformational leaders can give their team a competitive edge.

Develop an aspirational vision and communicate it broadly.

It's crucial to have a clear and inspiring vision that your team can support. This vision should give them a sense of purpose and direction while allowing flexibility in how they achieve it. To do this, create a vivid picture of the future and build a shared understanding of why it's important to get there. This fosters a team commitment to success.

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I like to summarize the vision and strategy as a one-pager that everyone in the organization can easily access and understand. This helps employees at all levels see how their work fits into the bigger picture and how their individual roles align with our growth strategy. It guides them on where to focus and how to prioritize their efforts.

Foster an empowering but challenging team culture.

Transformational leaders empower teams by delegating authority, providing autonomy and granting decision-making power. They ensure role clarity and promote ownership and accountability. However, this doesn't mean they're hands-off or don't challenge ideas. I've found that encouraging diverse thinking while respectfully challenging and debating fosters the best outcomes.

As a leader, I often question proposals or challenge an approach to gauge team members' conviction in their recommendations. By nurturing mutual respect, leaders can create an environment where challenges are welcomed, yet team members feel valued and motivated. This empowerment cultivates innovation and demonstrates the leader's investment in their team's success. It also presents opportunities for development for both the team and the leader. Through these discussions, my understanding and support for recommendations are strengthened.

Put a premium on individual and team development.

It’s important to recognize that each team member has unique strengths and aspirations that may require personalized support, mentorship and resources for professional growth. One of the key roles of a transformational leader is to ensure the right person is in the right position. Leaders can build a more loyal team by aligning business objectives with team members' individual goals. This tailored approach can boost morale, engagement and loyalty within the team.

At Assurant, we offer a variety of resources dedicated to career growth. Our latest development program provides a range of online learning tools aimed at cultivating behaviors aligned with our company commitments. This program also includes access to our virtual mentor, Jhana, providing employees with quick advice or tutorials on the go.

Persevere with passion and optimism.

To mobilize and motivate a team or organization toward a shared vision or goal, a transformational leader must exude passion and lead by example. As a leader, if I lack passion for the vision or strategy, it’s unlikely to inspire excitement or commitment from the team. While this may seem obvious, it's not always easy. True leadership is revealed during challenging times when adversity strikes. Leading with passion and optimism, even in tough times, sets a powerful example and fosters inspiration.

I have found that staying focused on the long-term business vision mutes the daily ups and downs. Helping your team stay focused on solving problems vs. dwelling on problems during challenging times keeps everyone in an optimistic frame of mind, including yourself.

Lastly, if you can’t be passionate about executing your vision, you likely need to revisit your vision for the business, or you may need to revisit it to see if the business is the right fit for you.

Think differently about what’s possible.

Transformational leaders drive innovation by fostering a culture of change and creativity. The concept of innovation can seem daunting, leading teams to believe they must create a groundbreaking product like the next iPhone.

I encourage teams to reframe the word “innovation” with "think differently." Every team member, regardless of their role, can innovate by reconsidering how they approach their tasks or solve problems. For example: What are two alternatives to how we do it today? If we could start from scratch, how would we do it? What would we do if we didn’t have any constraints? Ultimately, the current approach may be the best path forward, but just by thinking differently, it opens the lens to what else could be possible.

We recognize innovative thinking through our Assurant CEO Award. This nomination-based recognition celebrates individuals who embody our purpose, values and vision by inspiring new ideas. Winners are announced by our CEO during company Town Halls, receiving a financial reward and a donation to a charity of their choice by The Assurant Foundation.

Embracing transformational leadership is a powerful approach that can motivate, inspire and transform teams. Through visionary communication, empowerment, individualized development, leading by example and celebrating success, transformational leaders create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated and engaged. By harnessing the power of transformational leadership, businesses can achieve exceptional results, drive innovation and better adapt to the changing demands of the marketplace.

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