Pessimism and Politics

Could feeling bad actually be good? In this special episode, hosts Medaya Ocher, Kate Wolf, and Eric Newman consider the uses of pessimism in our approach to contemporary politics. Digging into Joshua Foa Dienstag’s 2006 book Pessimism: Philosophy, Ethic, Spirit they discuss this branch of philosophical thought: its core beliefs and practitioners, how it’s been misunderstood, and how we might use it to navigate the boomeranging emotions of our present political climate.