Losing hope [Part 2]
The cowardice of unfounded optimism
“If fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight.”
- Sun Tzu, The Art Of War
Knowing when to give up is a strength and an asset. Recognizing when to cut your losses is a valuable insight that saves you from toiling hopelessly, and losing more for nothing. Moreover, cutting your losses allows you to turn elsewhere your focus and available resources, where you have more chances of succeeding.
It is deluded optimism that keeps the roulette player playing, and hoping, and losing more of his resources and dignity.
There is nothing more hopeless than false hope.
False, unfounded hope keeps you hanging on when you should be recouping.
Getting over the delusion -and masturbatory hedonism- of hopium takes courage; the courage to face the harsh truth that some battles can’t be won.
Letting go of false hope is possible only when you have the dignity and integrity to boldly accept that you lost the battle. This requires graceful integrity enough to accept defeat without compromising your dignity and self-esteem. Refusal to face reality comes from weak self-esteem, one that relies on external validation, and the improbability of always winning.
Accepting a loss requires the courage to let go of comforting fairy tales that we tell children who can’t yet face cruel reality.
And so, acceptance of defeat and of inability to win is necessary so that you can make a strategic retreat. A retreat is a vital strategy that allows you to take a stand elsewhere, where you actually stand a chance at winning. Clinging on to falsehoods is behavior akin to a needy autistic child’s rigid obsessions that don’t serve him - this is what is truly hopeless.
Believing in falsehoods is the definition of insanity.
Let go of you blind faith and childish wishful thinking.
It is not defeatism to recognize when you’ve lost; true defeatism is cowardly burying your head in the sand, surrendering to self-delusions of imaginary victories that never happened, and never can.
You’re better off as a dignified recalcitrant slave who is aware of his subjugation. Besides, the most useful slave is the one who imagines himself free.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your time.
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This is so true. Excellent piece.
I have very strong pessimism in me, unfortunately. They say half the caveman were optimist and half pessimist. You need both for humans to survive. Someone had to remember all the bad things to tell the group. So there are people who only remember the bad things really well. Unfortunately, I am one of those.
I don’t think it’s a fun existence but it’s extremely hard to change it. I have it from my mother who is both neurotic and pessimistic. So I got it from genetics and osmosis.