An unwavering spirit maybe isn't such a great thing after all.

'Candide' by Voltaire is a funny satire on the philosophical idea/theory of Optimism, which was popular during the French Enlightenment. It is a roving adventure of the ever hopeful Candide as he learns about the harshness of the world while chasing his love Cunégonde and spreading the philosophy of Dr Pangloss. His travels take him across Europe, South America & the Middle East with numerous mishaps and encounters with embittered souls along the way.

I summarised the book as follows. "It's an absolutely biting attack on the idea that 'all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds'. The humour is fantastic and it can be read lightly as an engaging story containing memorable characters. It can also make you think deeply about ethics and philosophy if you choose to do so. Quite similar in style to Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift."

I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!

If you would like to support the channel, you can grab yourself a copy of the book here! https://amzn.to/2UMfxd9

Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(0:25) - Synopsis

(2:53) - Optimism: Insisting all is good when it really isn't

(6:05) - Pessimism: Joy in the worst of all possible worlds

(8:20) - Personal Observations/Takeaways

(12:05) - Summary

Connect with Mere Mortals:

Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/

Support the show