Top talent Dua Lipa [IG], also identified as a 2024 TIME 100 artist, covers the May 2024 issue of ELLE US — The Music Issue. Writing her TIME 100 bio, music legend Patti Smith described her as a ‘Ringmaster’ who is “driven, independent, and possesses a desire for knowledge”.

Patti Wilson styles “the queen of the dance floor’ in Alaïa, Dior, Haimana, Marc Jacobs and more for Dua Lipa: If It’s Not Fun, I Don’t Want It’, lensed by Dan Beleiu [IG]. Suzy Exposito conducts the interview.

Dua Lipa’s 3rd studio album ‘Radical Optimism’ is out May 3, 2024. My own radical optimism has been renewed with deliberateness in 2024 — not only in response to Donald Trump and the Republican War on Women — but in response to absolute binary thinking among progressives.

The World Hurts . . .

The world is far more complex than our 22-year-old students at America’s top universities — or their 70-year-old grandparents in some cases — are willing to express. Reading ‘The Coddling of the American Mind’ now [written by two Democrats], I understand just how out-of-control the situation is on all sides.

Neither America’s ardent right-wing or our very rigid left-wing wants to deal with the reality around us, which is nuanced.

Then again, when your God is better than my God, human-declared wars have defined global history with unbelievable suffering and inhumanity for thousands of years. Only one God wins in this zero-sum game.

. . . and Critical Thinking Is Devalued

When the Albanian refugee at age 15 wraped up her Future Nostalgia world tour at the end of 2022, Dua Lipa felt she had time to exhale “for the first time in her adult life.” Her inspiring personal story was one of triumph against incredible adversity. In 2023, the activist artist took vacations with family and friends in the Mediterranean and in India, trips that quickly garnered her IG disapproval as the “Vacanza Queen”. No one cared that she had lived for years without her family. Suddenly she viewed as a not-serious, musical dilettante.

“I’ve been busy for almost 10 years” she tells ELLE. “Every single day, I’ve had some bit of work to do. But people are going to say something anyway. People say a lot of mean things about a lot of people.” And if being Vacanza Queen “is what I'm getting, then I’ll take it. Whether I’m performing or going out, if it’s not fun, I don’t want it,” she says. “You have to make room for joy. The world can be burning down, but goddamn…if you didn’t spend any of your life trying to be happy, I don't know what you’ve done.”

Defining Radical Optimism

Radical optimism, the unwavering belief in positive outcomes despite the current circumstances, is a concept that resonates throughout history with roots in ancient philosophical and spiritual principles. While the term itself might be relatively new, the idea of maintaining hope and confidence in the face of adversity has been a fundamental tenet in various belief systems and cultures for centuries. From Stoicism to Buddhism, from the concept of "pronoia" in Greek philosophy to the law of attraction in modern times, the notion of maintaining a positive outlook even in challenging times has been a recurring theme.

Embracing Radical Optimism: What Type of Person Can Do It?

Radical optimism requires a unique individual with a mindset that is unwavering in the face of adversity. This person is someone who sees challenges as opportunities, setbacks as stepping stones, and failures as lessons learned. They possess a deep reservoir of resilience, able to bounce back from disappointments with renewed determination.

This individual has a strong sense of self-belief, trusting in their abilities and understanding that their actions can make a difference. They are not naive or ignorant to the realities of the world but choose to focus on the potential for positive change rather than dwelling on negativity.

Anyone who knows Dua Lipa’s story, understands that she has a personality very conducive to embracing radical optimism.

A person who embraces radical optimism is open-minded and adaptable, willing to explore new ideas and approaches. They are not afraid to challenge the status quo and envision a brighter future, even when others may doubt or criticize them.

In the arena of organized religions and especially monotheism, the progressive wings of the Abrahamic religions are most likely to find harmony with others and not view those outside their belief systems as the enemy. Yet, even so-called progressives can falter and fall into a hate fest. We live in one of those moments.

Does Binary Thinking Make Being Positive About the World More Difficult?

Binary thinking, the tendency to see things in black and white terms, has the potential to make being positive about the world more difficult. When individuals view situations, people, or concepts as strictly good or bad, right or wrong, they oversimplify complex issues and overlook the nuances and depth that exist in the world.

This simplistic, binary perspective can hinder one's ability to appreciate the beauty of diversity, differing opinions, the absolute manipulation of facts by all parties, and the complexity of human nature. It can lead to judgment, intolerance, and a lack of empathy towards others who do not fit neatly into predefined categories.

Moreover, binary thinking can create a sense of division and conflict by polarizing views and suppressing constructive dialogue. This can breed negativity, as individuals become increasingly entrenched in their positions, unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints or find common ground.

It is essential to note that binary thinking is not inherently negative, although I challenge the purity test of taking a position in which nothing else matters more than a defiant embrace of a single idea. In some situations, clear distinctions — or ‘moral clarity’ — can be necessary for decision-making and problem-solving.

It is the overreliance on this mode of thinking, to the exclusion of more nuanced perspectives, that can limit one's ability to see the world in a positive light. It’s important that Dua Lipa has brought the concept of radicial optimism into the global culture narrative. It’s interesting how much thoughtful input into the culture and our shared values is coming from women artists like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and now Dua Lipa. ~ Anne

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