Cheers to that

"Always look on the bright side of life." Ever since Eric Idle sang those words in the Monty PythonA British comedy act of the 1960s and 1970s. It has been hugely influential around the world. film Life of Brian, the message they carry has inspired millions. After all, if he could keep his spirits up during his own crucifixionA method of capital punishment involving tying or nailing someone to a wooden cross and allowing them to die from exposure., we can surely cope with whatever problems we are facing?

Nonetheless, looking at the challenges in front of us, it can be hard to hold on to that good mood. The economy is due to slump into recession for more than a year. After that, we will still have to deal with the greatest disaster that modern humans have ever faced: climate breakdown.

No-one is hit harder by these crises than young people. Because they are more likely to work in precarious jobs In recent years there has been a surge in jobs that do not offer long-term employment contracts, allowing workers to be given less pay or simply be fired at will. People working these jobs are sometimes called the "precariat"., they suffer the most from recessions. And of course, it is young people who will have to rebuild a world ravaged by climate catastrophe. No wonder so many are giving in to despair.

But some say we should fight our hopelessness. They think the only way to survive in a world of such adversity is to keep ourselves cheerful.

Scholar Timothy Hampton claims that cheerfulness is a rich and important emotion. It makes us care about others, enjoy their company more, and want to help them when they are in trouble. And it makes us want to solve our collective problems to improve people's lives.

But Hampton also warns that we should be wary of cheerfulness. He worries that the version of cheer we know today is superficial. We associate cheeriness, not with generosity and sociability, but with loud, enthusiastic adverts for things we do not and would never want.

Others believe we should harness the power of hopelessness. They argue that we should embrace our despair - and use it to transform the world.

Yes: We have to be realistic. The economy is crashing and the world is burning. There is injustice everywhere. Trying to remain cheerful is not an adequate response to such horror.

No: Keeping ourselves cheerful is the only way to survive this mess. And cheer also makes us more active and generous people, so it will help us to solve the huge challenges we face.

Or... Hopelessness can create its own kind of cheerfulness. Someone who knows they have nothing to hope for also has nothing to lose. We should harness this dark cheerfulness to change the world.

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