Not Optimist or Pessimist, But an Agathist
Not Optimist or Pessimist, But an Agathist Learning a new word is always exciting. More so, when a favorite author like Agatha Christie is named after it. The word ‘agathism’, says Anu Garg – who comes up with a word a day at wordsmith.org – is from the Greek ‘agathos’ which means ‘good’. In the English language, agathism refers to the doctrine that, in the end, all things tend towards good. We often hear it said, “Whatever happens, happens for the good.” It may seem like escapism; it may even sound glib and irresponsible, but the fact is, this is what sages who put together the Upanishads meant when they advised us to learn to accept the things that you cannot change; practise equanimity. Garg explains that an optimist would say that everything is for the best. An agathist, on the other hand, would say that what’s happening right now may be unfortunate or evil, but ultimately, it will all end well. Mieke Eerkens writes in All Ships Follow Me, a family memoir of war across t...