Who do you think is better off in the ultimate analysis.. the perennial optimist or the down to earth realist?

Answer 1

The person who is best off is a perennial down to earth optimist.

I know that sound like a cheat, but bear with me.

A pessimist is someone who goes to the park to stare at dog crap.

A realist is someone keenly aware of dog craps presence in the park.

And the common, (& not entirely unjustified) definition of an optimist is a walking ball of blissful naiveté, in search of a rude awakening.

The problem is, a lot of people use realism to justify pessimism.
You ask: “Why are you staring at dog crap?”
They say: “Because I’m smart enough to know it’s here; you naïve twit!”

Good surfers know were the rocks are. And they know the ride is going to end with them falling off the board. But the rocks and the falling don’t matter, because a surfer LIVES for the joy of the ride. A surfer is a down to earth optimist.

(OK, some surfers ARE balls of blissful naiveté, in search of a rude awakenings.)

Still, if my choice were between bliss and realism, I think I’d rather step in it, now and again, then spend any time staring at it.

Answer 2

I would say the down to earth realist since he accepts things for what they are and by doing this he is better able to deal with them as best as he can.

But i can also appreciate the thinking of the perennial optimist who always looks for the light at the end of the tunnel and that cannot be a bad thing.

Answer 3

As a depressed perennial optimist, I would say the down-to-earth realist.

Answer 4

Down to earth realist! An optimist is always hoping things will change but does nothing about it. A realist changes things.

Answer 5

Again the answer to that question lies within the gray, or I suppose we should say the rainbow myriad of options, that lies between your two diametric antipodes.

The realist who is able to maintain an optimism is liable to come out rosy in an awfully large number of analysis. And don't for a second doubt the possibility!

In this universe, the realist has a lot more wiggle room than most would suppose at first blush. And as we all know, even down here on earth, there are enough wonders to keep any of us in the thralls of positivism for quite awhile.

For those of us large souled human beings, there is plenty of room for realism and a positive attitude. And unlike those whiny existentialists or those moon-eyed evangelicals...there are those of us who can gaze, fully aware, into the bucket of truth and be driven neither to the madness of melancholy nor the cloistures of religion.

Answer 6

Nice question Small Star!!! HAHA hi my buddie Small I would have to say the down to earth Realist like Socrates who used his reason wisely and was a very truthful man...........Ultimate analysis for the realist their heads are not in the clouds like the perennial optimist sometimes who always think the best of others and things can be false and off the mark ever more sad to say but true .............the realist have their feet in the ground sturdy and can't be knocked down or lifted to the clouds so easily in situations seeing the real truth of people in social situations....................................

Ultimate Analysis Down to Earth Realist..........................................

Answer 7

The realist because he is less disappointed. The best is the optimistic realist or the realistic optomist. I think that in between is the best point to be. To believe in better but with one foot on the ground.

Answer 8

Down to earth realist. Our existence encounters situations both beneficial and harmful; the optimist will tend to misinterpret badly and mis-identify the harmful ones. And not perceiving impending harm leads to being not better off, right?

Answer 9

That doesnt make any sense...

A realist can never prove himself wrong...If hez right hez right...if hez wrong hez right...therez no way of knowing the truth...
An optimist however can prove himself wrong...

but what do "optimism" and "realism" mean?
because youre using the word "realism" youll HAVE to assume that ALL "optimism" is unreal...in this scenario its obvious that the realist wins...
but youre asking the question in such a way that you think optimists can win too(im talking ACTUAL wining instead of just happiness from believing the unreal)...so if an optimist WINS, he by definition becomes a realist because his achievement proves that he was realistic...and the realist sort of becomes the pessimist...but this doesnt make any sense because the realist can never be proven wrong...
so i say that theyre BOTH realists...because the BELIEF in itself affects the outcome...so the question becomes "do you think a bird CAN fly or do you think a shark CANT fly?"

this is where your question is wierd because a person doesnt become an optimist/realist based on beliefs but on the basis of RESULTS...your question is like "do you think a person in canada is in north america or a person in germany in europe?"

the very definition of an optimist/pessimist requires that the person loses...

To eliminate coincidences, lets assume that the pessimist/optimist and the realist calculate that "x is possible/impossible" given that belief in x is present...So this way even the realist can be proven right or wrong..

what is the difference between an optimist and a pessimist?optimist calculates that (x is POSSIBLE) but pessimist also calculates that (negative"x is possible" is POSSIBLE)...theyre both the same...the only difference between them and a realist is that they are WRONG...its meaningless to think that one says yes to everything and the other says no...

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ok ive made a complete mess...and lost my train of thought...if there ever WAS one...

Since "better off"is vague,i think the simplified version of your question is

Who do you think is right...the person who is right or the person who is wrong?

End of story.

Answer 10

neither, analysis is subjective. no one person has the authority to claim any ultimate knowledge. but I would hope that realism would lead to an optimistic outlook, but for a bunch of scared animals who knows what we need.