This song is a sterling example of Smith's adherence to a philosophy of optimism, first pioneered by Germanic polymath Gottfried Leibniz. In this song, Smith enumerates a litany of seemingly less-than-ideal situations that a lesser student of idealist philosophy would describe as wrong (or, perhaps half-wrong). Smith, however, uses the panglossian term "half-right" to indicate that although seemingly wrong, we live in the best of all possible worlds and such situations are necessary in order for fuller benefit elsewhere.
This song is a sterling example of Smith's adherence to a philosophy of optimism, first pioneered by Germanic polymath Gottfried Leibniz. In this song, Smith enumerates a litany of seemingly less-than-ideal situations that a lesser student of idealist philosophy would describe as wrong (or, perhaps half-wrong). Smith, however, uses the panglossian term "half-right" to indicate that although seemingly wrong, we live in the best of all possible worlds and such situations are necessary in order for fuller benefit elsewhere.