Martin and Candide participate in a game that is central to their discussion about optimism. They place bets on whether the people passing by are genuinely happy. Candide consistently bets that they are happy, and he invariably loses. Whenever happiness seems apparent, it is revealed—often by Martin—to be just a cover for emotions like anger, sadness, and discontent. Happiness, it appears, is simply a tool to survive another day of wretched existence.