MovieChat Forums > Alexis Zorbas (1964) Discussion > Constructive Pessimism

Constructive Pessimism

posted 17 years ago by lynnviv-1
2 replies | jump to latest

I first saw this movie in 1964, when i was 21.
I immediately started reading everything by Kazantzakis i could find in English, starting with "Zorba" and ending with K's sequel in verse to Homer's Odyssey.
My life has been much influenced by ideas i took from Kazantzakis in general and especially as embodied in the character Zorba; Zorba's attitude toward war (essentially "been there, done that, it's stupid") and the statement "life is trouble" (but it's worth it, i would add) stand out.
Constructive pessimism is what i call the acceptance of the possibility of failure coupled with the drive to try anyway.

[–] Aulic Exclusiva 17 years ago

Yes, it's a kind of pantheistic stoicism which might more simply be called existentialism.

Katzanzakis' evocation of ancient Cretan religion in his life-types in Life and Career of Alexis Zorba is also wonderfully vivid.

I wish his philosophical and esthetic writings were translated.

If the Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard, It can also be like a chicken-pox mark.

[–] rasheed_node 11 years ago

I would like to add here that this book is written by Nikos under the heavy influence of Budhhism, so to speak. While reading the book, I constantly felt the over shadow of Budhha on the mind of the author. Budhha was never enthusiastic about either the life or the existance but he certainly did not believe in dis-respecting either so he chose via-media or middle-path.