A Pessimist Manifesto

Karl Smith writes one. He believes that "badness is the natural state of the world" and that "our proper mission as easing pain, where we can, to the extent we can, the best we can":

I think it is that many modern Conservatives intuitively base
analysis of the world on a philosophy is that anathema to my
Their view is that if you take a responsible, measured
approach to the world things will work out. Failure is thus a sign
you have not done that.

My sense...