"Pessimism is a matter of mood; optimism is a matter of will."
Today's Question
If optimism were not an inborn mood but a choice you could make, what is one small optimism you could choose right now?
The philosophy teacher who volunteered for war at 46
Alain (born Émile Chartier) taught philosophy at French lycées for decades; among his students was the philosopher Simone Weil. He wrote thousands of short newspaper columns called 'Propos,' translating philosophy into everyday language.
When World War I broke out in 1914, the 46-year-old, already past the age of obligation, volunteered to share the soldiers' lot and served in the artillery. Even after witnessing the horrors of war firsthand, he never gave up the idea that happiness is not given but made by will.