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The French are one of the most pessimistic nations in the world, in this our countries are similar. Social psychologist Philippe Gabilliet is convinced that in the modern world it is impossible to live without optimism – you need to wear it like armor.
Psychologies: The French are champions of pessimism. Polls show that in this indicator they are ahead of even the inhabitants of Afghanistan and Iraq. Could they, then, be attracted to talking about optimism?
Philip Gabier: In France, reflexes of the past are very persistent. Our minds are accustomed to seeing only the dark side of things. It is difficult for us to recognize our virtues and strengths, it is difficult to believe in the good. Unlike, for example, the Americans, they have an incredible ability to act. In their mind, nothing is impossible. For us, optimism is an awkward exercise in self-assertion. Neither an Englishman, nor a German, nor an American treats him that way.
How would you define optimism?
F.G.: Optimism is energy, confidence that a solution to a problem is possible and we are able to find it. Faced with the unknown, catastrophes on a global scale, first I comprehend the situation, and then I try to see the bright side, to understand what can be done. If we don’t have the slightest shred of hope, it’s all over.
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- Are we like Europeans?
Do you really think that pessimism paralyzes us, deprives us of the ability to act? Remember the resistance fighters during the Second World War – they hardly had any reason for optimism. However, they did…
F.G.: But they were optimists, they had hope for better times, they were convinced that changes would come, that Nazism was not eternal. How long it would last, a year or more, they did not know. But they knew it would not last long. Optimism is gaining momentum just when things are going badly.
Optimism and the desire to change things are two sides of the same force, aren’t they?
F.G.: Desire can fuel optimism, provided that we have the opportunity to act in a given situation. An optimist is one who relies on reality, on what he has. It optimizes its resources. Let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves. Yes, we have problems, but life is full of good things, not everything is so bad.
But you can also act out of hopelessness …
F.G.: No, I do not think so. The main reason that motivates us to act today is that we believe that there will be a tomorrow worth doing it for. Those who do not believe in the future, doubt it, plunge into a state of depression.
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- Optimism gives us strength
It is human nature to ask gloomy existential questions. They appear very early, already in childhood …
F.G.: Yes, this is true, but children also have the ability to admire. A growing child is living proof that optimism is in our genes. You will never see a baby stop trying to learn to walk. By the way, in the sense of evolution, pessimism should also be rehabilitated. Because both you and I – we are all descendants of pessimists. If our distant ancestors had not been them, they would have been devoured at the first opportunity. Thus, we have two supports, but they must be used wisely. Complete pessimists have a flawed view of the world, they see only one side of it, but absolute optimism is also not a sign of intelligence.
There are a great many books on this subject. Why is optimism so fashionable now?
F.G.: I think people feel powerless looking at what is happening on earth. There is nothing I can do as a small person to prevent global warming or the global financial crisis. At the same time, the general level of education is growing. And what if we make a bet – optimism will win? In the end, optimism is outside of religion, this concept arose in the XNUMXth century during the Age of Enlightenment. A person has the ability to optimize, multiply what is given to him. And so, hope can exist without trusting in the Lord. Yes, the world is imperfect, full of dramas, unemployment is growing, but people who do not give up, start new things, create companies and emerge victorious live in it!
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- Thierry Jansen: “Optimism protects the body”
Perhaps the interest in positive psychology in our society is due to the fact that it is becoming more and more individualistic?
F.G.: Undoubtedly. Welfare, comfort, well-being – these values of the modern world bring individual interests to the fore. Part of the society strives for optimism. What should the rest do? If we don’t feel like optimists, the solution might be to start acting like we’re optimists. As you know, appetite comes with eating. It’s the same with optimism.
You endow optimism with a moral value…
F.G.: Yes, it seems that Voltaire said that being cheerful is an act of politeness. I would add: and being an optimist is moral. To manifest it is our duty to other people. Optimism is gained by training, it can be built up like muscles. We need to get used to looking at the situation from the positive side. Watch and communicate from the angle of “everything is fine.” Since time immemorial, we have found solutions to problems, even if they were temporary and imperfect, but it worked. So long live imperfection, energy and forward movement.
Does an optimistic approach to work affect our personal lives?
F.G.: Yes, if in your work you find solutions to complex problems every day, your personal life also changes. It is better to live a hectic, eventful life than to engage in an endless search for happiness. A pessimist sooner or later faces a meeting with misfortune or misfortune. If we value every moment and strive to live it richly and vividly, only routine and boredom can threaten us.