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Optimism vs. Pessimism!
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Optimism vs. Pessimism!
Optimism vs. Pessimism!
For those of you who don't know what those words mean, a deffinition from the American Heritage Dictionary:
Optimism:
1. A tendency or disposition to expect the best possible outcome or to dwell upon the most hopeful aspects of a situation.
2. Skip that one...
Pessimism:
1. A tendacy to take the gloomiest possible view of the situation.
2. Skip that one...
3. The doctrine or belief that the evil in the world outweighs the good.
So, now that you know what it means...
This is a debate on which is better. You guys rant about for a week then I'll count up who said O and who said P. Then we'll find out which (at least, on CB) which is more popular.
I stand on Optimism. I'll tell you why when this thing kicks off.
submitted by Charlotte, age 12 11/12, Lost in my mind
(January 9, 2011 - 4:19 pm)
(January 9, 2011 - 4:19 pm)
@ZNZ: I counted Analesia's as realist. I meant they don't seem like they go wrong.
(January 16, 2011 - 2:17 pm)
Without hearing a full definition of the term "realist" I would be inclined to lean toward it. I can't say I'm either optimistic or pessimistic most of the time. My mom is pessimistic. So I know what that is. A lot of my friends are optimistic. So I know what that is. But I don't think I'm either.
(January 15, 2011 - 10:29 pm)
I think I'm a realistic optimist, or maybe an optimistic realist. For things that are going to happen in the future, I weigh out all the possible outcomes subconsciously and figure out what's most likely to happen, which is realism. However, if there is no evidence one way or the other, I do tend to expect the best possible outcome, although I'm careful never to rule out the worst. I suppose I follow what's sort of the reverse of the, "Expect the worst but hope for the best and you'll never be disappointed," strategy: Expect the best, prepare for the worst, and you'll never be more worried than necessary about things that have the potential to go well or unprepared for things that turn out catastrophically. That's careful optimism, optimism, I suppose. The exception is when things show a trend of being bad. I use that as evidence that it will continue to be bad, even though it really isn't, because yes, it's true that nothing lasts forever, but if you just go around expecting everything to disappear, you end up really paranoid, so I don't bother. If things are good or bad, I expect them to stay that way until evidence to the contrary appears. I think it works well.
But as for what's happening at the present. I'm not optimistic or pessimistic or realistic. I subconsciously sort the event into Good or Bad and then into Important or Unimportant. Then I proceed to over- or underreact accordingly. It's not a good strategy at all, but it's what happens. There isn't really such a thing as moderation as far as I'm concerned. I really don't advise this, though; I don't like it at all.
(January 16, 2011 - 1:00 pm)
@ Ima. "Expect the worst, but hope for the best is my strategy, too :)
(January 17, 2011 - 1:09 am)
I don't think Alalesia is a realist. Sometimes she just sees the good in things, but sometimes just the bad, and realism is just seeing things for what they actually are.
Aetc says hhey! Hello, Aetc!
(January 17, 2011 - 11:30 pm)
I know it has been awhile since anybody has posted and I know it was supposed to be a week but I wanted to put my opinion down. I try to be optimistic, but I might be a pessimist. I seem to be somewhere between. What I usaully say ( Mostly to myself) hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I am for optimism though.
(March 11, 2011 - 11:18 pm)
Top!
(March 13, 2011 - 5:11 pm)
gfsdf
(April 9, 2011 - 6:10 am)