Wordplay: Where Are We . . . and Where Are We Going?

An essay in the opinion section of the NY Times dated 4/28/17 and titled "America, From Exceptionalism to Nihilism", set me thinking and suggested the title I assigned to my essay in response, the one you are now reading. According to my admittedly feeble look-up, there is no precise antonym for the word nihilism. (Until dictionaries publish that currently unknown word let's use "X" as its substitute.) But I'm pretty sure it's not exceptionalism. There are many synonyms describing the extremes. At the favored end (in my opinion anyway) are: belief, optimism, faith, and hope. At the less desirable end (again, in my opinion) are: anarchy, atheism, lawlessness, terrorism, and mob rule. (Look it up! I didn't make up those descriptions of proposed opposites.)