We do not have a direct translation for ‘weltschmerz’ in English, but ‘weltschmerz’ might be exactly what we are feeling right now.
A general translation is ‘world pain, a kind of melancholy felt when recognising that we can never bridge the distance between the ideal and actual states of things.’
Well that sounds a bit depressing!
But maybe this is where we can also find comfort, and cause.
In knowing that we do not control everything, we can not solve everything, there is no perfect situation, but knowing that we do have control over how we are right now.
And are we really using the choices we do have well?
Weltschmerz captures a world weariness felt from a perceived mismatch between the ideal image of how the world should be with how it really is.
It is not pessimism, the thought that there is more bad than good in the world, pessimism is a logical conclusion of philosophical pondering, weltschmerz is more of an emotional yearning response.
Why this feels heightened is that we’ve created a world in which weltschmerz is inevitable. If anyone, anywhere on the planet, is being appalling enough, the media will let us know, where previously we might not have heard. We are feeling this more than ever.
“Life’s getting less and less violent, but our moral norms are improving even faster, outpacing reality, so we’re constantly affronted by things we’d once have accepted.” - Steven Pinker, author The Better Angels Of Our Nature:
So it might feel like a good response is to just switch off the news. And I now many have, to protect their mental health.
But it could also be Ok to feel weltschmerz. And instead of trying to hide it, and not feel it, we embrace, and use it.
It drives progressive change, weltschmerz comes from seeing how things could and should be better. The fact we are disappointed is a good thing.
World pain is bad – but numbness to world pain would be worse. If we were numb we wouldn’t fight for better.
So we might be feeling weltschmerz right now. Frustrated, shocked, scared. But what if we use that to respond harder. Stand up harder. Resolve harder.
Become more in tune with what we believe in.
Less robotic. Less automated.
Much better could come.
That’s my thoughts today. Which while surrounded by dark clouds, still search for sunshine and hope.
eleanor