The Weltschmerz Effect: The Sadness of Deep Thinkers

The Weltschmerz effect defines an emotional state in which many can recognize themselves. It is melancholy in the face of the injustices that surround us. It is the discouragement that accompanies social meaninglessness, given the strange direction that our reality is taking. The Germans, for their part, describe it as that mutual pain that is shared by the world and human beings alike, like an umbilical cord that suffers in the face of a present in crisis.

Not in vain, Weltschmerz It is a word with German roots that arises from the combination of the terms “world” and “affliction.” The first time we came across this interesting psycholiterary image was in the dictionary Deutsches Wörterbuch created by the Brothers Grimm. Since then, this resource has appeared in the world of philosophy, art, literature, poetry…

This is what, for example, Lord Byron captured in The pilgrimage of Childe Harold. In France, figures like Chateaubriand or Alfred de Vigny left us the mark of that boredom wrapped in hopelessness. In Russia we had the unforgettable Aleksandr Pushkin as an exponent, Herman Hesse showed him to us in his work Demian and in America the representative of this trend was Nathaniel Hawthorne.

This emotional imprint formed an almost constant mark throughout the 17th century., a symptom of a period of conflicts, transitions and crises of values. Without a doubt, it seems that we are currently moving forward through a scenario of very similar tones and brushstrokes…

Characteristics that define the Weltschmerz effect

There are words that have catalytic power. There are expressions with the virtue of containing in a few letters an entire ocean of sensations, an entire universe of feelings, emotions and singular perceptions. The Weltschmerz effect acts as that small island in which many feel refugees by identifying with their roots, with their relief and peculiarities.

There are those who perceive this modernity as a strange dystopia in which they cannot find their place or their function. There are many people who feel frustrated, trapped by an existential crisis that never ends. Sensation of emptiness, of contradiction, of perennial sadness… All of this outlines a reality that is not new and that in some way Herman Hesse himself has already evoked for us:

Weltschmerz, an emotional state that we experience often

Many of us have been in a similar situation. There are days when the accumulation of bad news and the vision of a world gripped by changes, Crises or violence in all its forms make us wonder what present we have to live in.. It is then when we drift into those labyrinths of thought, into those deep reflections in which we wander about how things should be.

We design in our minds the image of that ideal world. But that internal image is far from what is actually happening and once again, we fall into the pit of frustration. However, the irony is that according to this word, The planet itself also questions itself about the type of humanity it houses.…

Exhaustion and existential crisis

Many of us would love to be like Lord Byron. Leave everything and travel the world, get involved with an ideal, make contact with other cultures and their high values. But the truth is that not all people can undertake such projects and often there is no other option but to cope with everyday life, the flow of routine and that nonsense that exists between our own aspirations and what surrounds us.

This perception generates emotional exhaustion and in many cases, a personal crisis begins that can lead to existential depression. Research work such as those carried out at the University of Palma de Mallorca tells us that The effect Weltschmerz It appears now as a result of the social and economic crisis. We are facing a large personal crossroads that impacts almost any sector of our society.

Feeling that the problems are very big and we are insignificant

The effect Weltschmerz It relates to the global challenges that lie ahead. The pandemic, the crises, climate change, social differences… Faced with this strange horizon, a conflict awakens in us between values ​​and the perceived inability of not being able to change anything that surrounds us. Therefore, a type of dissonance is created that is difficult for us to handle and assume.

We feel small, almost insignificant in the face of a great chaotic tangle of events that are beyond our control and also our understanding. Another factor is added to this: Big picture suffering affects us on a personal level.

What can we do to deal with this emotional state?

First of all, there is something we must assume. The effect Weltschmerz It is an emotional state linked to something unstoppable, such as the changes in our society, globalization, digitalization, mass migration, climate change… These are realities that, obviously, we cannot control. However, we are not defenseless against it.

The first step is to address our emotional pain. We must improve that relationship with ourselves, turn off the anger, the frustration, the feeling that nothing makes sense. We are forced to find new meanings and vital purposes and to do so, we must nurture self-esteem, attend to emotions and clarify new short- and long-term goals.

The second step is to find people who feel and perceive things the same as us.. This will favor several things. One, to feel less alone. And two, discover that this feeling is more common than we think. Around us, there are countless men and women who share our same ideals and who also long to transform reality and make it more human, more ethical, respectful and meaningful.

Staying active, hopeful and connected to other people will undoubtedly allow us to move through a present and a future that can undoubtedly improve more than we think.

You might be interested…