Hypocrisy In Candide

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It is important to be able to develop a different viewpoint outside of your reality’s comfort zone. Without the ability to be susceptible to other perspectives, one cannot truly gain knowledge. One must have a philosophical equilibrium in the sense that they do not solely rely on one philosophical idea. There is a certain balance needed to handle life’s hardships. In Voltaire’s Candide, he highlights hypocrisy in Optimism, Pragmatism, Pessimism, and Nihilism to ultimately reveal the dangers of being too dependent one of idea. Optimism insists that every outcome is the best possible outcome however Voltaire uses the old woman, Cunegonde, and Pangloss, which can be argued is a caricature of Leibniz, to exemplify how there is not always a successful outcome to every…show more content…
Voltaire outlines the flaws in ignoring one’s emotional dimensions during the decision making process. It can also be concluded that the most logical approach does not guarantee the best outcome. The fallacy of Pragmatism is highlighted through Cunegonde’s relationships. After hearing the history of the old woman, Cunegonde is given the choice of marrying the charismatic Governor Don Fernando or staying with Candide. She marries the man for financial stability despite her engagement to Candide, who the old woman describes as an “unshaken constancy” (33). Voltaire emphasizes how the most logical decision did achieve even the slightest level of happiness when Cunegonde is quickly abused and sold. Voltaire also shows that the most logical decision in one culture is not the same for another. Candide, whose name is , is far synonymous to innocence when he murders two monkeys expecting gratitude from two women. Cacambo reveals that the monkeys were the lovers of the two women (41). This shows how flawed Pragmatism is because “logic” differentiates and is not universal. Because of this, it can be easily
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