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Pros and Cons of Optimism/Pessimism...

Started by maphdet, March 13, 2011, 02:32:10 AM

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Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Ratatosk on March 21, 2011, 08:48:22 PM
Quote from: Cain on March 21, 2011, 08:47:17 PM
The pros and cons of optimism and pessimism are exactly the same - they're pre-set ways of looking at the world through a lense which will affect your ability to judge and analyse information on its own merits, instead trying to force it into a chosen narrative.

:mittens:

EOT

Seriously, where is that bastard?

Anyway, I had a conversation with a friend with whom I have much in common last night. He is naturally a "no" person, and I am naturally a "yes" person... the practical difference is, if someone asks me something my automatic reaction is "OK!" and I have to come up with reasons not to do it, whereas his natural reaction is "Nope" and he has to come up with a reason to do it. He often finds his drink unfilled and his party unsatisfying; I often find myself hung over with a mess to clean up. There are advantages to both approaches, and we both found ourselves wishing we were more like the other. I am attracted to "no" people for that reason, and he is attracted to "yes" people (in this case, his wife, one of my close friends). Some people are balanced enough to have a happy medium and make good decisions based on what they really want without a reflex response to get in the way.

I am not sure that optimism and pessimism are quite the right description, but it seemed relevant.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Doktor Howl

I just knew this thread wouldn't do well.
Molon Lube

Q. G. Pennyworth

Quote from: Vivat Alty on March 13, 2011, 02:48:34 AM
They both lead to a sterile, fruitless, grooved way of thinking that I avoid whenever possible.

Excuse my lack of subtly:

An optimist comes across a brick wall in the middle of the road, blocking his path. He smashes his head into it over and over again sure that he will get through eventually.

A pessimist comes to the same wall, turns around and goes home.

A realist finds a way around the wall or a way to remove it.

A DISCORDIAN is the motherfucker who put a wall in the middle of the god damned road.

Combination BAMP and steal?

rong

Pessoptimism:  the glass is half full... Of despair
"a real smart feller, he felt smart"