im naturally pessimistic, and ive learned that pessimism, youre never dissapointed. it doesnt effect what happens, and you will either feel correct, or delighted that you were wrong.
think of it this way, would you rather wake up thinking it friday, but as it turns out, its thursday
or
wake up thinking its thursday, and its actually friday?
and you wake thinking its thursday, and it is thursday, what have you lost?
2007-02-21 13:00:36 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I'd rather wake up, and be glad I did. I'd rather be optimistic and be able to roll with whatever happens.
2007-02-21 13:09:59 · answer #1 · answered by lightperson 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pessimism is a 'tricky' subject... there's no right or wrong answer, the answer lies in how you feel in life...
If you think back to the last time you were truly happy, whether it be a time where you met an amazing new friend or went on an incredible vacation.. try to remember how it made you feel...
Now think about the last time you were angry or upset... chances are if I asked you to sit down and write a list of the good and bad things in your life, regardless of which was greater, your bad list would ALWAYS turn out longer. You stopped thinking about the 'good' so long ago that the only thing you remember anymore is the bad....
The problem w/ pessimism is at some point you loose the meaning behind life, the part where you're supposed to love and be loved and live life in the moment... you begin to focus on all the negative, or just stop 'caring' because if you don't 'care' you can't get hurt. Only problem w/ that argument is you may appear to not be hurting on the outside, but in the inside whether you realize it or not you're eating away at yourself. And the more it eats away at you, the more you take everyone around you down with you... and suddenly you feel like no one cares because if that person gave it all they had to 'be there for you', you've made it impossible and pushed them away....and suddenly not caring about the 'little' things becomes not caring about anything, anyone, or even yourself...
Bad things happen to good people and I believe that's where pessimism begins... all I can say is when something bad happens, remember that something worse is happening to someone else and they're surviving it and so can you.... because until you can begin to appreciate things in life, you'll never appreciate yourself or anyone around you... you become numb so quickly that many times it's hard to pull yourself out... but there's always a way, just find that one thing that makes you feel good and focus on that...
2007-02-21 14:24:53 · answer #2 · answered by Brij 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you that being pessimistic can be beneficial at times, like when it prepares us for disappointment, or for some dreaded outcome or event.
But I disagree with your statement that with pessimism we truly feel "delighted" if proved wrong. I believe that instead we may feel "relieved" if proved wrong, which is quite a different sort of thing. In my own experience, having a pessimistic attitude often robs me of truly and thoroughly enjoying a positive outcome--I may actually be glad when I've been proved wrong, but my pessimistic attitude usually manages to take a lot of the glow out of the joy and satisfaction I might otherwise have been able to experience.
Also, I'm puzzled by the examples you've given of pessimistic beliefs or thinking. Waking up thinking it is Friday when it actually is Thursday is an example of having made a "mistake"--I'm having trouble seeing where the pessimism comes in.
2007-02-21 13:43:13 · answer #3 · answered by clicksqueek 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm about 70% pessimist, and 30% optimist.
It's usually a more emotional thing to me; everything is pretty much looked at in a negative view, which causes sort of emotional pain since you can't think about things.
If there were a half a cup of water, I'd say that it's poisoned. o_O
Not half full or half empty.
2007-02-21 13:10:45 · answer #4 · answered by Jason 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evolution favors the cautious, so in that way maybe. If your pessimism helps you avoid non-beneficial scenarios then yes. If it hinders your actions and makes you bitter or demotivates you, then no.
Being optimistic can be more enjoyable, and healthier(heart disease). I'm not sure if this answer helped at all.
2007-02-21 14:46:02 · answer #5 · answered by derek v 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"observing issues negatively ought to convey extra beneficial outcomes than optimism." incredibly? the considerable concern is to unravel the concern, for this reason, to attempt to heal the affected person. no count if or no longer the prevalent practitioner deep down has an attitude that "absolutely everyone would be great!" or "those adult men are all goners!" is thoroughly irrelevant. a minimum of it could be to any prevalent practitioner i might desire to work out. in the journey that your hazard of fulfillment relies upon on you having a skeptical attitude, then so be it. In circumstances like this, the prevalent practitioner ought to have an helpful bedside way, on the grounds that sufferers incredibly do extra effectual if their medical doctors look hopeful, yet be suspicious and careful in chasing down the indicators.
2016-10-16 05:16:48 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pessimism keeps you from being pessimistic? That sounds a little optimistic to me. ;-)
2007-02-21 13:55:03 · answer #7 · answered by Mayonaise 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your not a pessimist-if you were, you wouldn't give a **** if you woke up on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. You'd be bummed that you woke up at all.
2007-02-21 15:08:30 · answer #8 · answered by ontheroadagainwithoutyou 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An optimist sees a glass that is half full.
A pessimist sees a glass half empty.
An engineer sees a glass that is twice as big as it needs to be.
2007-02-21 13:30:12 · answer #9 · answered by WOMBAT, Manliness Expert 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who do you not disappoint, your self, I believe a pessimism always thinks negatively before he/she knows the out come
2007-02-21 13:05:36 · answer #10 · answered by kate 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋