To be a pessimist one has to view life as a tragedy, which is an exaggerated, uncomfortable attitude to take. It’s true that we do not have any concept of value that we can place on the work we produce. It’s true we produce that work in order to pass the time, but we do so not like the prisoner weaving straw to distract himself from his destiny, but like the little girl embroidering pillowcases to entertain herself and nothing more.
