Berlant’s book contributed to a cycle of thought within queer theory that took aim at the way optimism acts as a pillar that bolsters late capitalism, despite delivering diminished returns to the very people whose optimism about that system sustains it. And upon reflection, there was something about Berlant’s idea of cruel optimism that resonated with me more deeply when I returned to Grindr after my absence.ĭebuting in the midst of the Great Recession and the Occupy Wall Street movement, Cruel Optimism was a lyrical dissection of how our attachment to the narrative of the “American Dream” was not only toxic but spiritually, psychologically, and even economically malignant and deleterious. It’s an uncanny feeling when your own words unexpectedly offer insight into your own experiences.
The feature set for the non-paid version is better than on Grindr, too. You dont have to have a beard, you just need to be ok with dudes who do - IMO its an app for dudes who are scruffy and/or dudes who like dudes who are scruffy. GMSNAs have to make you feel optimistic even if you also feel more pessimistic every time you log on, in many ways characterizing what Lauren Berlant has termed cruel optimism: “when something you desire is actually an obstacle to your flourishing.” From my experience, guys on Scruff are nicer and less flaky than guys on Grindr.
