Positivity

Life is subjectively much more enjoyable without worry. If the world's impending doom is effectively out of your control, then why be concerned? The dice land independently of how you feel, so choose to be optimistic. Positivity is such a constructive energy, and everybody's capable of producing it. A romantic perspective seems like a pretty good place to start.

To appreciate the world is a rare but attractive quality.

In my experience, negativity is an easy form of expression. But, to be positive requires the same amount of energy. It can seem to demand more, but I believe the process which requires that extra energy is the switch from negative output. Over time our outputs become a programmed default, and it requires conscious effort to rewire. It's like relearning to type properly after years of hunting and pecking. It's relearning your weights, almost painful in the beginning while error is high and change feels unnatural.

Romanticism

To make my case for a romantic view of the world and a positive attitude (which are very much entangled), I'll attempt to explain what there is to be so excited about.

From the lowest levels observed in the world, to everything that emerges, there's mystery. Even just thinking about existence itself, no matter the conclusion, it calls for some level of appreciation, as this is just so strange.

Looking at existence as a mysterious wonder, simply being alive here, having a moment in eternity, starts to seem like a gift. Understanding that this is the one run we have at this, you can ask what is the best way to go about it? What is the good life?

We're not left with a certain answer on this unfortunately¹. But I have doubts that being in a state of negativity, where life has become unenjoyable, is what's good. Even if it's hard to change, I wonder if an easy life is necessarily a good life.

The point I want to make is that I've experienced a sort of compounding effect putting positive energy into the world, and thinking very optimistically, even romanticizing. I've also seen this same compounding in negativity (in my own experience and observed in others). I cannot say for certain what's best, but I'll go out on a limb recommending to aim for the former.

Romanticizing about the world is a matter of holding in working memory an optimistic yet possible interpretation², and applying that to the present (within its bounds of course). It seems there's a fine line between romanticism, and, well, delusion.

I've been speaking abstractly about this, but really, if you believe something along the lines of "everything happens for a reason", if you believe it's a just world, a beautiful world, one with purpose, meaning, fate, then consider yourself wearing rose-tinted glasses. I see no issue holding a personal view like this with an open mind when it makes no contradiction of what we certainly know. In fact, it's an open question, and there's many possible views.

Optimism

On the case for optimism: I find much more enjoyment appearing in my life when worry's absent from my thoughts. There's an endless set of problems, yet "problems are soluble"³. If it's a problem out of your control, it is not logical to worry.

When you swim out alone in the ocean, unable to see anything below or around you, you can panic easily, but there's an amazing calmness that settles over you when you just accept it. "Whatever happens, happens." When you give up the reins to the Universe, it's unnatural, but it's so freeing. It is letting go of worry for problems that you cannot control. An optimistic view is the hope that the outcome will be amazing.

There's been many close calls in history, even just ones we know of, if we again just consider the chances that we've made it to this point, it can offer hope that we'll make it even further.

What separates this from delusion

Romantic and optimistic views are not rejections of science, math, logic, they're compatible. This is part of what separates romanticism from delusion. There is acceptance that your interpretation is a possibility rather than a truth.

Science, math, philosophy, religion, they are all varying explanations of the same underlying truth/reality. A belief is an attempt at understanding that root, the truth, it's an interpretation of it. There's so much uncertainty here, but I believe a hopeful interpretation leads to a more enjoyable life.

Footnotes

1. I recognize that I have no idea whether our lack of moral knowledge is unfortunate. Perhaps the pursuit of moral knowledge itself, or our actions despite not knowing are part of morality, etc. I meant this in a subjective way, in wishing I knew for certain exactly how life should be lived. ↩

2. By interpretation, I don't mean that the underlying reality is subjective and that you can understand it however you please. I'm using it to mean a root theory about reality. Holding an unreasonable interpretation and closed-mindedness is closer to how I describe delusion. ↩

3. David Deutsch, The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World (2011), Chapter 3, "The Spark." ↩