Cruel Optimism

I found some of Berlant’s writing to be relatively vague or requiring considerable thought to unpack in certain places, albeit still interesting. On page 24 she describes cruel optimism in one sentence: “Cruel optimism is the condition of maintaining an attachment to a significantly problematic object.” While watching Melancholia for the second time I remembered this definition when thinking about Kirsten Dunst’s character Justine. She states at one point in the film that the Earth is evil and that it is a good thing that the fictional planet Melancholia in the film will destroy Earth. The film’s director, Lars Von Trier, has stated that it is based on an episode of depression he suffered in his own life and that the character of Justine is based on his own experience. When reading this in combination with Berlant’s concept of cruel optimism I felt somewhat divided over whether Berlant is actually describing depression as oppose to cruel optimism. What is the difference between the two? Cruel optimism seems to be holding on to or becoming attached to something that, while seemingly making one’s present possible is, in truth, having the opposite effect. Justine appears to be unable to forget or un-attach herself from the idea that the Earth is evil and the film seems to suggest that this is the fundamental reason for her depression. Justine’s situation would maybe not be described as optimistic so maybe this is the difference between depression and cruel optimism?

Interestingly, in the film, during the second part where the characters slowly realise that the Earth and themselves will be destroyed, Justine becomes much calmer and optimistic while her sister Claire goes in the opposite direction. Apparently Von Trier developed the story for the film after a therapist told him that depressive people tend to act more calmly than others under heavy pressure because they already expect bad things to happen and that the film is a study of the human psyche during a disaster. Therefore is cruel optimism/depression something to nurture in those who we rely on in situations of great pressure or disaster?

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