![]() ![]() The TO model comprises five interlocking components: affirmation of the value of life, courage to face adversity, self-transcendence in serving a higher purpose, faith or trust in God and others, and acceptance of what cannot be changed (Leung, Steinfort, Vroon, & Wong, 2002 Wong, 2001). In line with Frankl, Wong (2001) developed a model of tragic optimism (TO), which embraces the negative aspects of life and, at the same time, emphasizes the positives. In Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl (1985) stated that if one believes life is meaningful regardless of circumstance and people are capable of transforming life’s negatives into positives, then it is possible “to say yes to life amidst the most miserable circumstance inherent to the human existence” (pp. He would go on to build a new life and new goals, raising money for spinal cord research. However, with his wife’s encouragement, he accepted his new limitations and moved forward: “You just play the hand you’re dealt… I think the game is worthwhile” (Bishop, 2012). Reeve could have refused to accept his new reality and chosen suicide. Early on, he lamented the life he had lost and his new existence as a burden on his family. After his horse stopped suddenly in front of an obstacle, Reeve was catapulted head first to the ground, damaging his spinal cord and becoming quadriplegic. The actor and activist Christopher Reeve provides an example. Those who deny their new reality are more prone to develop posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. However, when a traumatic experience challenges these assumptions, the individual is confronted with a decision: (1) Uphold the previous beliefs and deny the reality, or (2) accept the new assumptions that the world is not benevolent, the world is not meaningful, and/or the self is not worthy. Based on these beliefs, most people tend to approach the world with optimism, trusting in their own worthiness, safety, and security. According to Janoff-Bulman, three assumptions are prominent: The world is benevolent, the world is meaningful, and the self is worthy. All human beings have certain assumptions about life that are not usually examined consciously. Janoff-Bulman (1992) refers to disruptions of these fundamental beliefs as shattered assumptions. For others, however, the sudden impact of an unexpected tragedy may ambush life-long beliefs that they’ve relied on for a predictable world. For those of us who are more fortunate, our presumptions and perceptions about ourselves and the world may go unchallenged for years, as life falls more or less within our expectations. Yet most of us assume that whatever we encounter tomorrow will more or less be consistent with what we’ve encountered before in our routine daily experiences. 11th Biennial International Meaning Conference 2021įrom personal tragedies, such as accidents, illnesses, deaths, and relationship violence, to larger scale catastrophes, such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, communal crimes, and violence, psychological traumas and losses could befall anyone in unpredictable ways.Applied EPP and IMT Certificate Program 2023.Existential Positive Psychology Bulletin.Research Institute on Flourishing and Suffering (RIFS). ![]()
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