im not immune to feeling negative. but i try to aim for the positive. so i lean towards optimistic. yep. im still a dreamer.
i think that optimism leads us forward, even if we are idealistic in our hearts. whatevs :D i think pessimism can be defeatist. so it isnt very forward moving, is it? a pro of pessimism? i dont know. what are your thoughts?
The Ben Franklin approach to the benefits of being a pessimist were known as not being disappointed when things going wrong and pleasantly surprised when things go right makes sense to me.
Chris Hadfield is also well known as a proponent of pessimism. His job was a constant evaluation of what was going to kill him next, so that is understandable.
I think I am a bit of optimist and pessimist, but if I was to try and define what my fundamental drive is;I would describe it as this: When I am considering an action I sometimes ask myself “Am I running towards something, or running away from something?” I find when I am running towards that I am way more productive. It’s the whole decision based on love or fear thing.
Most key decisions I have made have been based on the setting of targets and setting my course towards.
@spitfire3dc do you think letting go of expectation is pessimistic? i have always believed in a way that letting go of expectation is a relief. cant be disappointed. surprise when things go well, or rather…. confident things will go well when i know it, but not disappointed if i dont expect the best of someone i guess? (this only applies to certain people in my life…) i hadnt thought of that as pessimism before. but i see it. maybe its cause i still have this positive outlook, or inner feel. like its ok i dont expect much, but i am good with that? or content? or confident other good things will come?
love and fear. hooah!
@BelleMadre I will respond to your question in two ways.
Don’t think of it as letting go of expectations. Think of it as metaphorically running towards expectations. You may need to understand things don’t come your way through a wizard’s wand. You MAKE them happen.
Secondly; stop mentally asking for things. Start believing, with zero doubt, that they will come. Many people hope for things, but somewhere within is the fear that the likelihood is low. This sounds like rose tinted advice, but I can’t tell you how many times, when I devote myself to a belief, that it comes to pass. Set targets KNOWING they will be hit. when the momentum begins; ride it and let it further reinforce your acceptance of the inevitable.
Right now, there is nothing I want that I don’t already have, but I have to set a new target. Yesterday we did. I’m expecting signals from the Universe/God/Supreme Consciousness/My dead Father, that will strongly suggest I start the new chase. I am not running away from what I have, but towards a target that will ultimately fulfill us and the best part of it will be in the pursuit.
I lean hard toward optimism, but I am also realistic. I can’t be a total pessimist, for when I get into that mindset; I freeze. I stop moving forward. The glimmer of light, of hope keeps me going, helps keep me fighting, growing and moving forward.
I am easy going and optimistic about life. However, if another person is not as fueled up about getting a job done, and he is dragging his feet about moving forward, I keep going. I am like the little train that can. I think I can – I think I can – I think I can. I trudge onward and do that job, even if I have to do it alone. The reward comes in saying that I did it and the job is over and done. It is in the small smile he gets, knowing all is well. There are times when I think I can and find out that I am not tall enough, or strong enough. I don’t despair because my giant is tall enough and strong enough to give a helping hand. He is my hero. We are a team. How can I not be optimistic.
No question about it, I’m deeply pessimistic. I feel as long as nothing bad happened, it was a good day. I feel optimism can lead to better changes in the world since one needs to be optimistic that the world can change, but I also feel that it can lead to terrible suffering of others. Pessimism, which @BelleMadre was right, can be defeatist, but I feel it sees the world through a more realistic lens.
Modern Family touched on this well, I feel, on an episode. One side of the family believed a crazy story while the other didn’t. They ended up testing it out. It then talked about realists help dreamers not fly too close to the sun while without dreamers, the realists would never leave the ground.
My pessimism led me to how I view life. I don’t like being that much of a downer when I can help it though. I mean, it is harder on sites like this, or sites in general, but I tend to mainly just joke around if I know the person well enough. I can’t shake my pessimistic mind and be optimistic, but I like not being so dark all of the time. While it is important to understand the darkness of the world, it is also important that people feel good and joy. You need to know the darkness so you can fix the suffering, but you also need to feel joy so you don’t suffer yourself from that constant darkness. It is a balancing act, for sure.
@five2one
We first learn about life through “the subject” of us. But unless one connects with “the object” of God (the Spirit of Life), we have less lasting consequence than a fart.
We can languish in the delusion that optimism and pessimism (as well as so many other life-outlooks) are entirely a function of the subject us.
But that paints a picture that can be no bigger or enduring than us.
10 responses to “Optimism and Pessimism”
im not immune to feeling negative. but i try to aim for the positive. so i lean towards optimistic. yep. im still a dreamer.
i think that optimism leads us forward, even if we are idealistic in our hearts. whatevs :D i think pessimism can be defeatist. so it isnt very forward moving, is it? a pro of pessimism? i dont know. what are your thoughts?
The Ben Franklin approach to the benefits of being a pessimist were known as not being disappointed when things going wrong and pleasantly surprised when things go right makes sense to me.
Chris Hadfield is also well known as a proponent of pessimism. His job was a constant evaluation of what was going to kill him next, so that is understandable.
I think I am a bit of optimist and pessimist, but if I was to try and define what my fundamental drive is;I would describe it as this: When I am considering an action I sometimes ask myself “Am I running towards something, or running away from something?” I find when I am running towards that I am way more productive. It’s the whole decision based on love or fear thing.
Most key decisions I have made have been based on the setting of targets and setting my course towards.
@spitfire3dc do you think letting go of expectation is pessimistic? i have always believed in a way that letting go of expectation is a relief. cant be disappointed. surprise when things go well, or rather…. confident things will go well when i know it, but not disappointed if i dont expect the best of someone i guess? (this only applies to certain people in my life…) i hadnt thought of that as pessimism before. but i see it. maybe its cause i still have this positive outlook, or inner feel. like its ok i dont expect much, but i am good with that? or content? or confident other good things will come?
love and fear. hooah!
@BelleMadre I will respond to your question in two ways.
Don’t think of it as letting go of expectations. Think of it as metaphorically running towards expectations. You may need to understand things don’t come your way through a wizard’s wand. You MAKE them happen.
Secondly; stop mentally asking for things. Start believing, with zero doubt, that they will come. Many people hope for things, but somewhere within is the fear that the likelihood is low. This sounds like rose tinted advice, but I can’t tell you how many times, when I devote myself to a belief, that it comes to pass. Set targets KNOWING they will be hit. when the momentum begins; ride it and let it further reinforce your acceptance of the inevitable.
Right now, there is nothing I want that I don’t already have, but I have to set a new target. Yesterday we did. I’m expecting signals from the Universe/God/Supreme Consciousness/My dead Father, that will strongly suggest I start the new chase. I am not running away from what I have, but towards a target that will ultimately fulfill us and the best part of it will be in the pursuit.
Find your course. The destination is a bonus.
I lean hard toward optimism, but I am also realistic. I can’t be a total pessimist, for when I get into that mindset; I freeze. I stop moving forward. The glimmer of light, of hope keeps me going, helps keep me fighting, growing and moving forward.
A little Yin and little Yang.
I am easy going and optimistic about life. However, if another person is not as fueled up about getting a job done, and he is dragging his feet about moving forward, I keep going. I am like the little train that can. I think I can – I think I can – I think I can. I trudge onward and do that job, even if I have to do it alone. The reward comes in saying that I did it and the job is over and done. It is in the small smile he gets, knowing all is well. There are times when I think I can and find out that I am not tall enough, or strong enough. I don’t despair because my giant is tall enough and strong enough to give a helping hand. He is my hero. We are a team. How can I not be optimistic.
No question about it, I’m deeply pessimistic. I feel as long as nothing bad happened, it was a good day. I feel optimism can lead to better changes in the world since one needs to be optimistic that the world can change, but I also feel that it can lead to terrible suffering of others. Pessimism, which @BelleMadre was right, can be defeatist, but I feel it sees the world through a more realistic lens.
Modern Family touched on this well, I feel, on an episode. One side of the family believed a crazy story while the other didn’t. They ended up testing it out. It then talked about realists help dreamers not fly too close to the sun while without dreamers, the realists would never leave the ground.
My pessimism led me to how I view life. I don’t like being that much of a downer when I can help it though. I mean, it is harder on sites like this, or sites in general, but I tend to mainly just joke around if I know the person well enough. I can’t shake my pessimistic mind and be optimistic, but I like not being so dark all of the time. While it is important to understand the darkness of the world, it is also important that people feel good and joy. You need to know the darkness so you can fix the suffering, but you also need to feel joy so you don’t suffer yourself from that constant darkness. It is a balancing act, for sure.
You gotta keep a positive attitude in this desolate bag a shit we were all thrown into because of feral boinky feelins.
Boink Boink Boink
“If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands”-Arthur Schopenhauer
(misattribution)
It is subjective.
So, the variables are Optimistic and Pessimistic.
See what I did there.
I am the world’s strongest Optimist and Pessimist.
The missing key to the lock of the meaning of what I say, is, well, maybe my name.
I Am What I Am.
Not “Who”, not “Jehovah”. Jesus? Obviiously. Michael? Not so obvious, but yes.
Just tied your tongue in a knot. To show you I am stronger and smarter (more Brilliant) than you.
Also, you don’t know jack shit about what Jesus taught or said.
Just try and prove me wrong. If you’re lucky, you might make my dick hard.
Sincerely,
The Deadpool. Not the trixster.
@five2one
We first learn about life through “the subject” of us. But unless one connects with “the object” of God (the Spirit of Life), we have less lasting consequence than a fart.
We can languish in the delusion that optimism and pessimism (as well as so many other life-outlooks) are entirely a function of the subject us.
But that paints a picture that can be no bigger or enduring than us.
There is “objectivity” beyond just ego.