I was consequently interested to see a film that I enjoyed very much this weekend, a Yank film, for the record, called 'Thirteen conversations about one thing'. This film makes the hatred for the congenital (or maybe learned) smug optimist quite palpable. I myself, didn't see the optimist as smug, but smug is mainly a word that is applied to those with whom one disagrees (like 'I am steadfast, you are stubborn, but he is pig headed'). I must admit (I don't think it a confession as I am sure it is common and doesn't do anybody any harm) to have felt what I can only describe as smug on certain occasions - mainly as a result of being proved right after much opposition - but I think that this feeling has none of the unpleasantness of the possibly associated schadenfreuder.
Interestingly also, in last week's New Scientist, being optimistic about oneself and the future is shown to have a huge statistically significant value in health and longevity. I was interested that it was suggested that it was a more significant positive effect than a smoker giving up smoking!
So, maybe the objection to those with a panglossean view (at least of themselves and their own life and situation, if not of humanity as a whole) is envy for both their current 'luck', their past 'luck' and their complaisant expectation of future 'luck'. Calling somebody else 'smug' is more a reflection, under this view, of ones own insecurity.
Interestingly as well, Voltaire's Dr Pangloss didn't suffer himself from any reversals or reasons to doubt his view - it was only his disciples, after his death, who ran into philosophical problems with it. This may also be a problem, ideal as a smug, panglossean, optimistic, content, and maybe even happy, view might be, it is not something that is easy to cultivate artificially.
I'd recommend the film to make up for any bile, angst, irritation or other unfortunate feeling that this post, smug by name and smug by nature might have occasioned.
"May you get what you want, and want what you get" - Double Gipsy curse from "Thirteen conversations about one thing"
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