Candide: Is all really for the best?
“All is for the best,” Pangloss says. Throughout Candide, that idea of his is constantly mentioned, driving me insane. To me, that’s a very big generalization. Just because something happens doesn’t mean it should’ve. However, Pangloss isn’t the only one saying this; it’s what I’ve observed being mentioned my entire life. The idea that what happens is meant to happen is usually preached whenever there is a bad outcome. Sure, sometimes things need to turn out a certain way, but other times it’s just unnecessary and borderline cruel. Take a look at colonization, a topic brought up in Candide. Some people, rather than admitting that it’s cruel and shouldn’t have happened, say European colonizers simply thought they were doing the right thing. Because of their understanding of morality, which made them think spreading religion to a group of people who didn’t seek it, that suddenly makes all of it fine. Is the whole “everything happens for a reason” philosophy not ...