miserabilism

English

Alternative forms

• miserablism

Etymology

From German Miserabilismus, French misérabilisme, corresponding to miserable +‎ -ism.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪzɹəbəlɪz(ə)m/

Noun

miserabilism (uncountable)

1. A tendency to take a miserable or pessimistic view on life; a consistently miserable outlook, negativity.
   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 267:

     Parlementary ideas invariably evinced that most thoroughgoing national miserabilism which had impressed poor Damiens [...].

   • 2009 May 15, Manohla Dargis, “A Less Crowded Cannes, and Perhaps a Silver Lining”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     A beautiful-looking slice of British miserabilism, “Fish Tank” traces what happens to a 15-year-old (Katie Jarvis) when her mother’s boyfriend moves into the family’s cramped flat, a story that can be summed up by the lyrics, sung by Nas, that portentously bring the accumulated bleak moments to a close: “Life’s a bitch and then you die.”

   • 2021, Eliot Higgins, We Are Bellingcat, page 147:

     Nobody will ever 'fix' the internet, just as nobody will ever fix the world. But this has never justified giving in to miserabilism about life offline.

   • 2023 May 1, Alexander Hurst, “Has France really gone to hell? Its catastrophist discourse is at odds with the facts”, in The Guardian‎^[2], →ISSN:

     The term “performative miserabilism” has been coined to explain France’s confusing penchant towards self-cynicism.