Author David Rakoff on Half Empty, Defensive Pessimism

instead of a spoonful of sugar he
probably swallowed his medicine with
vinegar hi I’m Rebecca Britain and
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
speaking with author david rakoff about
defensive pessimism and his book half
empty why don’t we start by having to
tell us about the book half empty half
empty is a collection of essays that are
a defense of pessimism and melancholy
and a lot of those emotions that get
tarred with the negative brush that
aren’t necessarily negative for example
it just because something feels good
doesn’t make it good you know it’s nice
to feel pride but probably can lead you
to treat people sadly a lot of those
things have been simply stricken from
the discourse it’s hard to get people to
talk about things that are darker or
less pleasant on the surface so it’s
just a defense of those things to say
that they have their uses and can even
be just as beautiful as the sunnier
states of mind and where did the idea
for the book originate for you the book
was actually my editors idea and he was
the one who finally touched on the fact
that whatever i’ve written has sort of
come through this filter of melancholy
and he said you know you should write a
more sustained look at that particular
mindset that seems to be so automatic in
you would be able to give us some
examples from your own life or even
cultural phenomenon that would kind of
stick up for your point of view lemming
examples would be New York City isn’t
entirely you know somewhat pessimistic
and not cynical but a realist town where
people sort of see things for how they
are i think most of the cultural contact
content that you would characterize as
being grown-up actually has some
element of realism and darkness in it
have you found that your background has
had anything to do with this point of
view I think it’s predates background
predates upbringing I think that it’s
just the way that people are people are
born that way let’s define the idea of
defensive pessimism defensive pessimism
is an anxiety management technique
wherein you like all pessimists
everywhere think that some looming
experience whatever it is going to the
store doing a public speech whatever is
going to be a disaster and you construct
a worst-case scenario the ways in which
it’s going to be a disaster detail by
detail and you work through each detail
and the ways in which you will meet them
head-on and stave them off and thereby
manager anxiety why do you think
pessimism has been stricken from the
public discourse people don’t really
like being reminded of the reality of
the world it’s like prescribing medicine
it’s much much easier to prescribe candy
would you call this book of manifesto no
absolutely not there’s even a burst on
the cover that said you know there is no
inspiration this is not a manifester I’m
not advocating anything beyond you you
got to do whatever whatever’s right for
you during the writing this book you
were diagnosed with cancer now many
would describe this as a put your money
where your mouth is moment it’s
precisely to put your money where your
mouth is moment but it didn’t change the
way I was living my life if anything had
confirmed it
like this that happens you just gotta
get ready for it you know and live your
life as if it were going to happen
almost at any time and what gives you
hope I think the things that give
anybody hope you know the fact that
everything is cyclicals at you know life
is long if you’re lucky and that things
will eventually change and this too
shall pass and you’ll get through it i
mean it’s an absolute platitude and
completely you know i could put that on
the side of a herbal tea box but you
know it’s you just got to try and wait
things out like that’s a great note to
end on thank you very much thank you
very much