Optimism vs. Pessimism

[an anarchist]

Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist? One or the other, you gots to be skewed more towards one way. I am not adding more options as this is the dichotomy I want to explore.

Why are you an optimist or pessimist?

I want to discuss the reasonings behind our optimism and pessimism.

I am definitely a pessimist, so I would like to see the other side a bit.

I am a pessimist because there is immeasurable suffering in the world. The world is unbalanced. The poverty divide is wide. War is constant. No one gets along it seems. We die in the end. This life full of suffering might be all there is for us. Hell is here on Earth in my view. I am not optimistic for the future. In fact I dread it.

Please, share with me your view! I’ll add that my pessimism is undesirable.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think I lean more pessimistic, too. Not overwhelmingly so, but I find things more often tend to go wrong, so that's what I expect.

 

[ChristineM]

Optimist here... Things have got to get better. Thought they might get worse first.

 

[Quintessence]

I find pessimism illogical (if not factually erroneous) except in specific unusual circumstances where that individual's experiences make at least somewhat (albeit still egocentrically) sensible to hold a pathetic view of reality.

The problem is, in certain cultures humans are more or less conditioned into a dysfunctional and distorted perspective on reality. They don't celebrate Autumn Equinox, for example, which is an annual reminder to count your blessings (because they will vastly outnumber any of your banes if you do actually bother to count them). Instead they teach their people that they never, ever have enough and should always be looking for the next best thing and not appreciate what they have. It's stupid.

 

[bobhikes]

As an optimist I can see that there is always something good on the way. In my 60 years overall life has improved. Yes there still are many things that could be improved but there are just as many that have improved. Are there set backs yes but they seem to also push the world forward. It is not a race but a slow pace at times and I am also patient. This is what I see as the key to optimism and pessimism, the optimist has patience and the pessimist can't wait.

 

[Eddi]

I'm an optimist

I believe it will all work out OK in the end

Maybe that's wishful thinking

I don't know but I feel optimistic about that!!

 

[Stevicus]

The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is that a pessimist believes that everything is bad, and an optimist believes that it can't get any worse.

 

[ChristineM]

The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is that a pessimist believes that everything is bad, and an optimist believes that it can't get any worse.

Oh it can get worse but it surely has to get better eventually

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I'd say I'm an optimist, because I believe whatever life throws at me I'll live the best I can regardless. Do we really have any other choice but to do that anyways?

 

[Balthazzar]

Optimist, and despite my pessimism that accompanies it, we are learning, advancing, adapting, and evolving our able to continue moving forward as a collective body. Yeah, life sucks sometimes. Yup, it can be painful. It's certainly difficult. It can be more grievous than I ever thought possible, but with these come endurance, temperance, patience, and resolve.

 

[Koldo]

I am more of a pessimist. I think the opposite of what @Quintessence said. To use her words in a way that would fit my perspective (Therefore swapping around pessism with optimism): I find optimism illogical (if not factually erroneous) except in specific unusual circumstances where that individual's experiences make at least somewhat (albeit still egocentrically) sensible to hold a pathetic view of reality.

 

[Balthazzar]

I am more of a pessimist. I think the opposite of what @Quintessence said. To use her words in a way that would fit my perspective (Therefore swapping around pessism with optimism): I find optimism illogical (if not factually erroneous) except in specific unusual circumstances where that individual's experiences make at least somewhat (albeit still egocentrically) sensible to hold a pathetic view of reality.

Optimism being a false dichotomy, whereas pessimism is the truer between these two life dynamics is what you are suggesting. This is based on what exactly? I hold optimism as the truer because this has been evidenced for as long as humans have walked the earth. I don't remember how we learned to utilize stone tools, I don't remember when bronze came into the human - able equation, but I do remember 1990, before the age of household computers, laptops, and cellphones. 34 years later before we began to incorporate these into our lives, we've grown from expensive and slow dial up connections over land lines, to Wi-Fi and 50 plus mbps data transfer, not to mention color tv's from black and white like my family used early 70's era complete with fuzzy images.

Today we have 4k if not higher resolution for much greater clarity and image quality and passed through fiber optics which was unheard of back then. No, we had air waves and antennas. We may as well have come from a prehistoric age where dinosaurs roamed the earth. It is in this that I remain optimistic about life and our place in it, despite the difficulties we are sometimes forced to endure. Let's be honest, if not for our difficulties and dissatisfaction in life, would we have advanced this much at all?

 

[osgart]

Squarely in the middle, so I call that being an objectivist. I know things can always get worse. And often things can be made better too. However you never know til you know.

 

[Stevicus]

One thing to keep in mind is this: If you're an optimist and you expect a positive outcome, if that does not happen, you'll be disappointed and bummed out. If you're a pessimist and expect a negative outcome, you won't be disappointed if it turns out that way, but if it turns out positively, then you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Balthazzar]

One thing to keep in mind is this: If you're an optimist and you expect a positive outcome, if that does not happen, you'll be disappointed and bummed out. If you're a pessimist and expect a negative outcome, you won't be disappointed if it turns out that way, but if it turns out positively, then you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Yes, but with the dissatisfaction and fallen countenance, the optimist will also continue the efforts. If enough success is achieved by a pessimist, they too may become more optimistic through repetition. I think this is how we establish faith and/or confidence.

 

[Koldo]

Optimism being a false dichotomy, whereas pessimism is the truer between these two life dynamics is what you are suggesting. This is based on what exactly? I hold optimism as the truer because this has been evidenced for as long as humans have walked the earth. I don't remember how we learned to utilize stone tools, I don't remember when bronze came into the human - able equation, but I do remember 1990, before the age of household computers, laptops, and cellphones. 34 years later before we began to incorporate these into our lives, we've grown from expensive and slow dial up connections over land lines, to Wi-Fi and 50 plus mbps data transfer, not to mention color tv's from black and white like my family used early 70's era complete with fuzzy images.

Today we have 4k if not higher resolution for much greater clarity and image quality and passed through fiber optics which was unheard of back then. No, we had air waves and antennas. We may as well have come from a prehistoric age where dinosaurs roamed the earth. It is in this that I remain optimistic about life and our place in it, despite the difficulties we are sometimes forced to endure. Let's be honest, if not for our difficulties and dissatisfaction in life, would we have advanced this much at all?

You mean the pinnacle of humanity is the sum of technological developments? I don't see it this way.

 

[Balthazzar]

You mean the pinnacle of humanity is the sum of technological developments? I don't see it this way.

Me either.

 

[Koldo]

Me either.

Then why mention technology and technology alone?

 

[Balthazzar]

Then why mention technology and technology alone?

Good point. Technology isn't what I was alluding to. It is our natural abilities and instinctual, survival predispositions that makes me the optimist, which has been evidenced since before the dawn of man. I mentioned stone tools to 4k resolution to demonstrate some of that innate resolve associated with human life and cognition.

 

[Mock Turtle]

In my view optimism and pessimism are two things coexisting in the minds of most, and often so because they seem to balance out. I don't know but having either as an overriding attitude might not be productive - given that one could reasonably say either was true for certain things. Whilst wars have almost always been present throughout history, for example, in many countries (probably the majority) wars have not occurred during the lives of many living today - although they might have sent combatants to fight in some other country.

Overall, life seems to be getting better for most, although there are and always have been areas not experiencing such. And, even though we might have life better in so many ways, the progress we often see is so often tainted with new issues or problems - the internet, mobile phones, social media, etc. are examples of this - as to the effects of these on those younger perhaps.

Personally, I have seen many of the changes during my life as being for the benefit of societies and especially some, whilst also recognising that so many will not see these as such. But then this is often the way of history - leaving some notions behind when they harm or hinder rather than help.

And, given all the other things that I could point out - being optimistic or pessimistic over - I couldn't vote ether way.