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In a world where optimism seems to be dwindling, leaders across diverse sectors are voicing their perspectives on this trend and proposing strategies for its resurgence.
Sam Altman, CEO of the company behind the fastest-growing product in history, ChatGPT, asserts, "We have lost our collective sense of optimism about the future. We should all act as if regaining it is a duty. The only way I know of to return to that optimism is to use technology to create abundance."
Singapore's Senior Minister & Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, echoes Altman's sentiment. He points out that we have entered an era without precedent, which has led to a falling level of optimism worldwide. However, he reframes this challenge as a call to action, urging a global collective effort to rekindle optimism.
Sharing a similar sentiment, musician Michael Franti views the defining struggle of our times not as between left and right but between cynicism and optimism. He argues that the belief in the possibility of creating a better life and world fuels optimism, and when we lose this belief, we surrender to cynicism.
Penny Mordaunt, the UK's Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council perceives a shift in political discourse. She states that the political divide is not between left and right but between optimists and pessimists, emphasising, "We need optimists for the next tough shift."
Moreover, Armando Gonzalo Alvarez Reina, Ambassador of Mexico to Indonesia, whom I spoke with, stressed that "Optimism is precisely what we need more in these times."
Bruce Springsteen, the iconic singer, similarly advises, "I think what you need at this moment is a kind of fighting optimism."
The falling optimism in our world is a significant challenge, but as these leaders have shown, it's not insurmountable. Instead, it requires a collective commitment to restoring optimism, the willingness to envision a better world, and the courage to strive for it.
At the Centre for Optimism, we share this commitment. We've been investigating optimism, asking people, "What makes you optimistic?" and "What makes you feel optimistic?" for over five years. We've drawn from a lifetime of optimism and years of research into Australian leadership. We promote simple practices like asking, "What's been the best thing in your day?", holding conferences, workplaces, and school workshops, and incorporating mindfulness and meditation practices. Our mission is to lift the pervasive 'fog of pessimism' and ignite a spark of optimism that inspires individuals, communities, and nations.
Regardless of sector or sphere of influence, optimism can and must make a difference. Our future depends on it. So let's rise to the occasion, reclaim our optimism, and believe in abundant possibilities. Together, let's create a better world.
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