pessimisme

Pessimisme (pessimism) is a general tendency to emphasize negative aspects of life and to expect that undesirable outcomes are more likely than favorable ones. In everyday language it denotes a mood or outlook characterized by doubt about progress, happiness, or the possibility of improvement. In philosophy, pessimisme is a more systematic position that questions whether life can be understood as truly satisfactory, often emphasizing suffering, limitation, and finitude as essential features of existence.

Historical forms of philosophical pessimisme emerged in 18th–19th-century Europe. Arthur Schopenhauer argued that the world as we experience it is fundamentally governed by the will and that suffering is intrinsic to human life; art, compassion, and ascetic denial of the will offer partial relief. Eduard von Hartmann defended metaphysical pessimisme, positing a blind, reality-shaping will in which painful experience is structurally built in. Søren Kierkegaard explored existential anxiety as a central human condition, while Friedrich Nietzsche criticized philosophical pessimisme as life-denying and urged a revaluation of values that could foster resilience.

Contemporary discussions distinguish pessimistic mood from philosophical or scientific claims. In psychology, pessimisme can refer to a negative attributional style linked to mental health risks, including depression, whereas optimism is associated with more positive explanatory patterns and greater resilience. Culturally, pessimisme remains a recurrent theme in literature, film, and political commentary, often reflecting social change, uncertainty, and critique of progressive narratives.