Is the Glass Half-Full or Half- Empty?

Candide once learned from Pangloss that optimism is strong and needs to be always present.

Candide and Pangloss definition for optimism: “The passion for maintaining that all is right when all goes wrong with us.” (pg 86)

Despite all the miseries that Candide had to endure he was always optimistic and was faithful to his teacher’s saying “All is for the best.” I believe that being on this extreme of the worldview has both its pros and cons. On its defense, while facing a negative situation you don’t get as emotionally involved or as dramatic. This point of view would allow you to be stronger and have a clearer head in the situation. Furthermore this would help you enjoy life more because you’re not constantly worried or pushed down because of a trauma in your mind. On the other hand, being to optimistic can have a long-term negative effect. As a natural human being things have to offend or bother you in a way. Being so optimistic actually means that you are being a hypocrite with yourself unconsciously. After an accumulation of pretending that “all is for the best" you will explode and question the world’s “goodness”.

This is the case of Candide, when seeing the humble Negro in Suriname he threatens to abandon Pangloss’ optimism. In Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut there is also a similar theory. Billy states “So it goes” after every death he witnesses displaying indifference. Like Candide’s optimism, this is just an excuse to evade the misfortunes of life. However, after a collection of indifference something has to break the cycle or produce a negative outcome. Unfortunately for poor Billy it was an unacknowledged trauma with its disorders. 

Martin has a cynical view of the world, “…I have seen and experienced so much, that I am forced to believe that man’s origin is evil.”  (Pg 92) He could be a face of Voltaire himself who after suffering a lot like Martin and seeing all of the world’s evils can believe, under no circumstance, that this is the best of all possible worlds. This other extreme is not completely right. Personally I believe that a balance is needed because there is no good without evil and vice-versa. It follows the Taoist Yin-Yang fundamental.  One wouldn’t exist without the other; harmony is needed for control.