Optimism As Meaning-Making Despite Life'S Uncertainty

The inquiry about life’s meaning is basically an existential and historical problem. Life has its upside down battle. The battle of finding a meaningful life. "The Case for a Tragic Optimism," by Viktor Frankl marks the circumstances that man’s side of being optimistic in life will benefit man by having a strong sense of hope in managing the difficult situation in finding a meaningful life. Then, how does being optimistic will benefit man in finding a meaning in life in spite of life’s uncertainty? One must evaluate optimism (i) as a way of life in leading a good life and that it is better than being pessimistic; that (ii) it denies the evil of pain; and in the latter part, let us tackle optimism (iii) as a true moral courage in facing a tragic situation. Man must be careful not to equate optimism as a mediocrity and that optimism can steer life into an authentic one. This tragic optimism is for man to uphold hope in spite of tragic situation or experience he encounters in life. And that man must gain the resolve and courage, no matter how miserable life is, to do his best for a future goal. Man experiencing life’s difficulties is that it enables man to cope up the significance of embracing life and believing that if one is to continue to pursue and persevere in his efforts that something goodwill eventually happen.

Frankl restates the three ways for man to reach at meaning of one’s existence: achieving something, encountering someone to love, or turning a particular tragedy into victory. Some of the issues of today’s society is the sense of meaninglessness in life, where man unable to find meaning in life and that led him to give up on life, e.g., the struggle of student in his academic life and that sometimes caused the student to give up life. Suicide often happens when man is having a poor sense of hope and meaning in life. How should man overcome this?

Life’s meaning is completely unique from each other but the same purpose. The purpose of attaining the good. Optimism is not doing something bad and refuses to change and at ease turn to the optimistic side of man as a reason for disregarding real problems that man is facing. Being optimistic enables man to see the opportunity and transcend every difficulty in facing a tragic situation in life into a good one.In today’s society, man being push by the challenges in life in which challenges are essential in attaining the good life but has also caused the breakdown of some humans that unable to handle things that are essential in life. Essential challenges such as for man to find meaning in every situation in life whether in good moments or bad moments. In the Christian context, most of the time optimism is being hopeful despite of life’s negative aspect. Negative aspect such as accident, tragedy, and even the downfall of life where it seems that there is no future expected.For in Christianity, there is a sense of fulfillment in the promise of the Creator in the end of time. The question arises, how can man being optimistic find a meaning in life in spite of life’s uncertainty?

Tragic optimism turns to guide us from unhappiness to hope and courage. Hence, let us inquire what “tragic optimism” truly is? In undergoing a great difficulty and in transcending pain and suffering through meaning, tragic optimism is a necessary element. In short, tragic optimism means that one is, and remains optimistic in spite of what Viktor Frankl called a “tragic triad”. According to Viktor Frankl, “tragic triad” is a triad which parts of human existence may be defined by: pain, guilt, and death. So being in this tragic situation how man will overcome it and able to find meaning in life? Man is reminded that optimism is not something that can be force or demanded into man easily. It is the same as one cannot force himself universally dependent of being optimistic all the time. Optimism as a way of life in leading a good life.

Does man really aiming for a good life to live? Or just man is barely hanging on life because of life’s cruelty? Aristotle once inquire that what it is truly is the most suited way for man to live? What does optimism to do with living a good life? Man being optimistic in spite of any circumstances is aiming for the good life and that enables him to grow. To be optimistic is a human approach that everything is in progress with the good and that all things will come out for the good. Sometimes, optimism makes things look too simple without being bothered of the negative feature of life. Does being optimistic is rationally good? Let us defined what good is.

Good is used to signify at which all action must aim, the end or the final end itself. Having an optimistic kind of attitude is rationally good. The part responsible for reason is the rational soul which being optimistic is not just an attitude but also a part of reason. A reason to desire for a good life even if it seems that the tides is against it. For man is aiming for the good or the final end, man is thinking of how he is able to achieve that final end for the improvement of himself. Optimism is a partly nature of human well-being. Optimism is just partly nature of human well-being because in the other side of a coin there is this pessimistic kind of human well-being. Optimism, it denies the evil pain and death.

Optimism as a true moral courage in facing a ‘tragic triad’.Optimism is a human approach that all is in progress with the good and that all things will come out for the good. Sometimes, optimism makes things look too simple without being bothered of the negative feature of life. Once man’s search for meaning in life is fruitful it makes man able to endures and transcend pain. In today’s time for instances, what often happened in school is that students are struggling in their academic life but they are enduring and coping with the struggle for the betterment of their own lives.