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prettygoodwordmeliorism (MEEL-yuh-riz-uhm, MEE-lee-uh-riz-uhm) - n., the belief that the world can be improved through human effort.
It's supposed to be understood as a middle way between optimism (the world is already good) and pessimism (world bad) -- it's not good yet, or at least not good enough. In practical terms, most pessimists understand it as a form of qualified optimism. Coined in 1877 by novelist George Elliot from Latin melior, better, the comparative of bonus, good.
---L.
It's supposed to be understood as a middle way between optimism (the world is already good) and pessimism (world bad) -- it's not good yet, or at least not good enough. In practical terms, most pessimists understand it as a form of qualified optimism. Coined in 1877 by novelist George Elliot from Latin melior, better, the comparative of bonus, good.
---L.
