Cruel Optimism

Cruel optimism is Lauren Berlant's idea that if we keep pushing through, our efforts will eventually yield success and things will improve, even when this is likely not going to happen. Cruel optimism instills false hope and makes individuals feeel as though they are the obstacles to their own happiness, rather than external circumstances. This is very connected to the idea of happiness scripts.

Mari Ruti builds on this idea, identifying a "quintessentially American creed conditions us to believe a positive attitude will enable us to achieve our goals regardless of how many obstacles we encounter."