On Pessimism Versus False Optimism
I have received e-mails from more than one person lately (including one who said he was no longer going to read me) who say, in so many words, that I have become too pessimistic for them. There are several ways a person can go about blogging: one is to be a rah-rah cheerleader for your side who rails against the stupid liberals (or ‘neocons’ or Bushites or leftists), painting with a broad brush and smearing everyone in sight, all the while adopting a see-no-evil attitude towards the errors of your own party.
No doubt I’ve fallen into that category some, but I hope not often. Another option is to respect your readers enough to tell it like it is, as you see it, but all the while keeping your mind open to counterarguments and dialogue. I strive for this second model, though I often fall short.
I’m not a pessimist by heart, when it comes to America. We are on the right side, mostly, and no other country has done more to advance freedom, liberty, and the cause of human dignity. But we’re definitely in a rough patch. I have nothing but respect for President Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Condi, and almost all the other Bush Administration figures. They are trying their best in difficult times, and they are taking the hard way rather than hiding their heads in the sands.
They are human, though, and they do make mistakes, and we do our cause no favors by declining to discuss anything negative for fear of offending. If the blogosphere stands for anything, it should be for open debate and dialogue, in my view.
So forgive me if I have been a ‘downer’ lately; it’s not to bug you or depress you, but because I believe the things I am writing about. As Rick Moran put it in a long, excellent piece that I recommend you read in its entirety:
…[I]t would pain me if my honest opinion drove people away from this site. But I realize many readers who have been following my evolving position on the War in Iraq know how pessimistic I have become over the last six months about the chances of that bloody land achieving anything like a stable, democratic government. For them, it may come as no surprise that I have reached a point where I believe we must make a decision as a nation about whether we want to continue our involvement – which would mean an increase in resources and a direct confrontation with Iran and Syria over their massive support for the terrorists and insurgents – or whether we should pack up and go home. In other words, escalate or leave.
Why now? And why bother writing about it?
Simply put, the reason I have come to this conclusion now is that the enemies of Iraqi democracy have established a clear upper hand in the country and it is uncertain at best whether the situation can be retrieved at this point.
And the reason to write about it is equally simple; to join a growing chorus of conservatives who are becoming very critical of our involvement and try and break through the spin and myopia of the Administration which is making the situation worse by pretending that things are getting better or are not as bad as we think they are.
Even if I don’t endorse every particular of the above, I endorse the main message. It is precisely because I care so deeply about success in Iraq and the Global War on Terror that I have become so critical. It’s not going wobbly; it’s an intense desire to win. We all, presumably, share that desire, and we can differ about how to achieve it. I express my opinion here; I invite you to do the same…
I guess for some you just aren’t “black enough”. For me, I appreciate your willingness to be candid and honest in your assessment and, especially, to change your mind as new information comes available. As Keynes (I think) famously said:
“When the facts change sir, I change my mind. What do you do?”
I come here not for cheerleading or because we are of like minds and opinions (even though we are) but for information, insight, and honest, honorable, and spirited, polite, debate. I get all of that because you set the tone and your readers/commenters follow.
Keep up the good work.
We have become a microwave oven society, wanting it all to be done in the two minutes of commercials, so we can sit back down with our popcorn and cheer on something new. When people talk about freedom in Iraq, they never look back at our own history, and see how hard is was for the USA.
The Revolutionary War was hard, and we almost lost it all; but for God’s grace at a few critical battles. The Civil War of the young USA slaughtered a generation of young men. No one ever looks back and says, “Yea, we had those kinds of problems too”.
Freedom does not come easy, it is hard, and that is the reason we should cherish it so. We can’t just put a bag of popcorn in the microwave and then say, gee, isn’t the war over yet?
too many steves, thanks so much – I appreciate your readership and your participation in the comments; you’ve been a good friend to this blog.
elbogz, you’re exactly right – but here’s the problem. I’m with you and ready to go the distance – but I fear that the next president may not be. That means we have the duration of the Bush presidency, and maybe not much else. We have to at least be prepared for that possibility…
too many steves, I believe Keynes also said “words ought to be a little wild for they are the assaults of thought on the unthinking”.
Even though I don’t share your darker view, your honestly is appreciated as are your “wild words”.
Patience, Prudence.
Hi Mark,
I respect independent thinking. My highest value is truth. My reading and writing goal is clarity, not agreement. You score high in all areas that matter to me.
However, in regards to pessimism verses optimism, you seem to be doing exactly what you are accusing others of doing. Isn’t is possible for an independent thinker to genuinely believe the world is a much better place and America is better positioned now than before nine-eleven without being rah-rah for the Republicans and the Bush administration? Is it possible that in your zeal to be objective and non-partisan, you have adopted a view of the world that is much more pessimistic than reality would dictate?
President Bush and the Bush administration seem incompetent much of the time. However, who in political America could or would be doing a better job? Gore, Kerry, McCain? Possibly Rudy, but he is not a sure bet. Who in the political world has done a better job in the last six years? The leader of … ? I can’t think of anyone.
Mark, ‘Keep on Truckin’ ans calling it as you see it. I’m back from Iraq now and read you regularly, but so little time to chit-chat/post replies.
Anyhoo, I’d say your pessismism is fair enough for me. As I look back on my time there, there’s been plenty of times, where I feel like saying, “Screw it. Nuke ‘em all and let God sort them out!!!” If they’re so backwards, so 13th century, then cut them off and make sure they can’t bother us any more.
Then I look at the good news and think maybe there’s hope yet.
Regardless of how I feel about it now, my bigger concern is who replaces W in ’09 and the rammifications thereof.
For sure if our policy becomes ‘anti-war’ driven, I can only wonder how much it will cost us in blood, sweat & tears as we pick up the pieces of what’s left after the islamofascists wreak havoc on the West then. It will surely be a high price to pay for us to banish the ACLU, nutroots, multi-kulti fanatics & co forever to the ash-heap of history, should they ‘prevail’ in ’08.
On the other hand, even if we had a pragmatic sucessor, even cHillary, the so-called reality based crowd would continue their sniping and demoralizing campaign to no end on anyone deemed not to be anti-war.
So which is the better scenario? I’m tending towards the bloody but short. Let the lunatic fringe win and when the sh** blows up in their face, the grown-ups will take over and banish them forever from the political scene (Et tu UN?).
There is no heroism in cowardice and refusing to meet evil head on.
Carry on with your excellent commentary & insight, even if I don’t agree 100%
Thanks, Andy, and Sandy…David, I certainly can respect the opinion of those who say things are better than I give them credit for being (like yourself). What I can’t do is respond to those who say they won’t read me any more by saying I’ll be more optimistic. I’ll be optimistic some days, pessimistic others, and right now the pessimism has swung to a higher profile, thanks in large part to a totally unsatisfactory (to me) end to the Israel/Hezbollah hostilities.
My pessimism has shallow roots, though, and I’m all prepared to go to the distance – I just keep coming back to the idea that we have only two years, for sure, to cross that gap. After GWB, who knows?…
Andy, glad you’re back and safe and sound…