My friend is EXTREMELY optimistic about things...he says the reason I'm so cynical is because I'm from a one-parent home and that my step-father used to beat me and stuff...I say the world is a bad place full of injustice and sadness...I say he's so optimistic because his parents love each other and they can afford to give him a car and he basically has a good life...he thinks the world is a good place and he says that good people are always rewarded and bad people are always punished....who's right? Do you believe that a person's background feeds into whether they're optimists or cynical?
2006-09-14 13:00:48 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Friends
Yes I believe that background affects you. However, I have seen optimistic people who have had very bad lives but because they were able to overcome adversity they became optimistic. Just as cynical people can come from a good background. There are just too many factors to say much but it is affected by the background in some way as is every aspect of our lives.
2006-09-14 13:08:25 · answer #1 · answered by tabkat73 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel no matter whether you are an optimist or a pessimist, bad things happen and good things happen. It is how you deal with the situation that really matters. If you grew up with a tough home life, it gave you a unique view that your friend doesn't have. Life is tough. Living with rose-colored glasses on is not realistic. The world will chew a person up and spit them out. I hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
2006-09-14 20:17:10 · answer #2 · answered by bjw1965 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is another way of looking at it: To those who feel life is a tragedy and to those who think life is a comedy.
If you read up on the Myers Briggs types all will make sense.
2006-09-14 20:30:26 · answer #3 · answered by flugelberry 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes definitely.
Pessimists are just optimists with experience though!
2006-09-14 20:02:21 · answer #4 · answered by ingy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋