I am a pessimist who has lost almost all hope.
There are many things that can destroy the world, or at least cause it great suffering. The potential for pandemics, invasions and world wars, climate change and natural disasters, artificial intelligence, fascism and dictators and so on seems almost limitless. As individuals, there is little to nothing we can do to prevent any one of these disasters, and together we seem to be only marginally more resilient. For my own sake I still perform symbolic acts which in reality do not slow developments down in the slightest, but still function as coping mechanisms.
I am for democracy. But I don't see how a democratically elected leadership with anything but extreme luck could navigate around every possible pitfall in order to give society a chance at survival. However, I still defend democracy, partly because I can't see any better option, but more than that, it feels right. I believe that the average person, however easily influenced or uneducated, at least wants to do good, and that it is healthy to replace one's leaders periodically. I am not an ideal democratic citizen. My understanding of the world is very limited. Even so, many flawed individuals together built a society, however imperfect. But even if we simple-minded fools of the people were to unite and live up to past successes, we certainly still have the odds stacked against us.
With that said, one can keep doing ones best to live for as long as one has the health and freedom to do so.