Renowned author Ian McEwan has asserted that widespread pessimism represents a more significant concern than climate change. Speaking at the Hay Festival amidst record-breaking May temperatures in the UK, McEwan declared that fostering optimism is not just a personal choice, but a “moral duty.”
The novelist noted that he frequently encounters individuals expressing a grim outlook, stating they “don’t expect their children to have as good a life as they did.” However, he countered this prevailing sentiment by advocating for optimism as an essential ethical responsibility.