Even in a gleefully negative comic there is optimism although it's slightly hidden: It comes out through a comic character's sheer tenacity. He keeps going and trying to find some sort of fulfillment regardless of his perpetual failure record. That's a form of hope a form of optimism. Really hokey I know but it's true.
And nothing embittered me which is important because I think ethnic people and women in this society can end up being embittered because of the lack of affirmative action you know.