--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not pessimistic. It is the world that…" description: "\"I'm not pessimistic. It is the world that is terrible. How can we be optimistic in the face of a planet where people live so badly, nature is being des..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/jos-saramago-208_being-optimistic_i-m-not-pessimistic-it-is-the-world-that_1007919.jpg" --- # I'm not pessimistic. It is the world that is terrible. How… ![“I'm not pessimistic. It is the world that is terrible. How can we be optimistic in the face of a planet where people live so badly, nature is being destroyed and the dominant empire is money?” quote by Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/jos-saramago-208_being-optimistic_i-m-not-pessimistic-it-is-the-world-that_1007919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/jos-saramago-208_being-optimistic_i-m-not-pessimistic-it-is-the-world-that_1007919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/jos-saramago-208_being-optimistic_i-m-not-pessimistic-it-is-the-world-that_1007919.jpg) > “I'm not pessimistic. It is the world that is terrible. How can we be optimistic in the face of a planet where people live so badly, nature is being destroyed and the dominant empire is money?” [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism is difficult when confronting global suffering, environmental destruction, and monetary dominance, yet the quote questions the possibility of hope. **In simple terms:** World’s problems challenge optimism. Key Takeaway Seek hope despite crises. Themes philosophy environment economics hope Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - activism - community building Key Concepts existentialism climate crisis wealth inequality Questions to Reflect On - How can I act positively amid global challenges? - What small changes can counteract environmental damage? A Different Perspective Optimism may seem naive without concrete solutions to systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [What makes us feel pessimistic about the world, ultimately, is the way the media encourage us to believe that our fate hangs on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/what-makes-us-feel-pessimistic-about-the-world-ultimately-is-the-way/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [The Church of TED is very optimistic. Bulgarians are some of the most pessimistic in the world. There are the Happy, the Unhappy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/the-church-of-ted-is-very-optimistic-bulgarians-are-some-of-the-most/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [We are heading towards catastrophe. I think the world is going to pieces. I am very pessimistic. Why? Because the world hasn't been punished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/we-are-heading-towards-catastrophe-i-think-the-world-is-going-to/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [In this pessimistic world, especially in America, a positive outlook is very necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/in-this-pessimistic-world-especially-in-america-a-positive-outlook-is/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [I think in life, you have a choice. You can either be optimistic or pessimistic, and I go for the optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-anderson/i-think-in-life-you-have-a-choice-you-can-either-be-optimistic-or/) [Jon Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-anderson/) > [You have to take chances - working in film is a mixture of luck, talent, and ability to take the risk. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-crowley/you-have-to-take-chances-working-in-film-is-a-mixture-of-luck-talent/) Nathan Crowley > [We live in the best of all possible worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/we-live-in-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [You have the freedom to choose to be optimistic or pessimistic. You can peel off your old attitude like a suit of clothes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/you-have-the-freedom-to-choose-to-be-optimistic-or-pessimistic-you/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [In this world, there is one terrible thing, and that is that everyone has his reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-renoir/in-this-world-there-is-one-terrible-thing-and-that-is-that-everyone/) [Jean Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-renoir/) > [I would say the world's in terrible shape, but I'm afraid the world would say, "Look who's talking".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-elliot/i-would-say-the-world-s-in-terrible-shape-but-i-m-afraid-the-world/) [Cass Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-elliot/) > [This world is not a wonderful place where unfortunately many evil things happen; but this world is a terrible place where fortunately many miracles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/this-world-is-not-a-wonderful-place-where-unfortunately-many-evil/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [It's the continuation of everyone's childhood to see these young children who grow up full of life, full of intelligence, full of a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucien-bouchard/it-s-the-continuation-of-everyone-s-childhood-to-see-these-young/) [Lucien Bouchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucien-bouchard/) > [“The world is full of terrible suffering, compared to which the small inconveniences of my childhood are as a drop of rain in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rhodes/the-world-is-full-of-terrible-suffering-compared-to-which-the-small/) [Richard Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rhodes/) > [Our world is one of terrible contradictions. Plenty of food, but one billion people go hungry. Lavish lifestyles for a few, but poverty for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/our-world-is-one-of-terrible-contradictions-plenty-of-food-but-one/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [“The world was in terrible shape, and I'm glad we stood up and said what we believed; but a lot of the time we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/the-world-was-in-terrible-shape-and-i-m-glad-we-stood-up-and-said/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) ## More by Jose Saramago > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [One can show no greater respect than to weep for a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/one-can-show-no-greater-respect-than-to-weep-for-a-stranger/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I am not a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-am-not-a-prophet/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [With the passage of time, as well as the social evolution and genetic exchange, we ended up putting our conscience in the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/with-the-passage-of-time-as-well-as-the-social-evolution-and-genetic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Al día siguiente no murió nadie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/al-d-a-siguiente-no-muri-nadie/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“E se as histórias para crianças passassem a ser de leitura obrigatória para os adultos? Seriam eles capazes de aprender realmente o que há…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/e-se-as-hist-rias-para-crian-as-passassem-a-ser-de-leitura-obrigat/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [In a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/in-a-king-modesty-would-be-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“the inmates of the second ward in the right wing have decided, at long last, to bury their dead, at least we shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-inmates-of-the-second-ward-in-the-right-wing-have-decided-at-long/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Stretching one arm behind him, the man passed his hand over the horse's coat, his own skin transformed, or skin which had transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/stretching-one-arm-behind-him-the-man-passed-his-hand-over-the-horse/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-we-are-blind-blind-people-who-can-see-but-do-not-see/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/you-have-to-leave-the-island-in-order-to-see-the-island-that-we-can-t/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [anyone who gets up early by inclination or has been forced to rise early out of necessity finds it intolerable that others should go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/anyone-who-gets-up-early-by-inclination-or-has-been-forced-to-rise/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“... aborrece os odores nocturnos, aquelas expansões do corpo a que nem poetas escapam".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/aborrece-os-odores-nocturnos-aquelas-expans-es-do-corpo-a-que-nem/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) [Explore all 487 Jose Saramago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More Being optimistic quotes > [There was the natural human survival instinct to be optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demick/there-was-the-natural-human-survival-instinct-to-be-optimistic/) [Barbara Demick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demick/) > [You have got to get your power up and do something and not just sit around. Always be optimistic. Always be positive! And ignore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-have-got-to-get-your-power-up-and-do-something-and-not-just-sit/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The voice of the intellect is soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing. Ultimately, after endless rebuffs, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-voice-of-the-intellect-is-soft-one-but-it-does-not-rest-until-it/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Part of what makes America strong is our resilience, tenacity, innovation and our willingness to be optimistic about our future. I know that President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/part-of-what-makes-america-strong-is-our-resilience-tenacity/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [You can be fully satisfied with where you are, understanding that you're eternally evolving. When you get into that place of feeling appreciation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/you-can-be-fully-satisfied-with-where-you-are-understanding-that-you/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Creeds matter very little... The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/creeds-matter-very-little-the-optimist-proclaims-that-we-live-in-the/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [Man often becomes what he believes himself to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-often-becomes-what-he-believes-himself-to-be/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I can't be optimistic. I can be hopeful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-vincent/i-can-t-be-optimistic-i-can-be-hopeful/) [Fay Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-vincent/) > [“The heart of man is vulnerable to negativity, but it could be easily fortified with positivity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-heart-of-man-is-vulnerable-to-negativity-but-it-could-be-easily/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Hope is a state of mind independent of the state of the world. If your heart's full of hope, you can be persistent when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/hope-is-a-state-of-mind-independent-of-the-state-of-the-world-if-your/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [I think all Americans should be hopeful, and try to be optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-think-all-americans-should-be-hopeful-and-try-to-be-optimistic/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We're America, and we have to stop worrying about what happens overseas, and to be optimistic, even though nobody should think we're not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-re-america-and-we-have-to-stop-worrying-about-what-happens/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [The biggest obstacle that you can have is all inside your head, so I try every day to be optimistic and keep dreaming about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-chaparro/the-biggest-obstacle-that-you-can-have-is-all-inside-your-head-so-i/) [Omar Chaparro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-chaparro/) > [I am inclined by nature to be optimistic about the capacity of a person to rise higher than he or she has thought possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-am-inclined-by-nature-to-be-optimistic-about-the-capacity-of-a/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) Browse all 86 Being optimistic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not pessimistic. It is the world that is terrible. 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