Optimists v Pessimists

[Pix]

Optimists think that we live in the best of worlds

Pessimists fear that this is true

I was just wondering - cos I'm very bored - who the optimists are and who the pessimists are

[Active]

" Optimists think that we live in the best of worlds
   Pessimists fear that this is true "
                           - Robert Oppenheimer

That Was Infact a sparkle of wisdom from Robert Oppenheimer 
the man who is almost synonymous with the atomic bomb

Not to be Outdone..

A pessimist is someone who feels bad
when she feels good
for fear she will feel worse
when she feels better. 

An optimist looks at an oyster
and expects to find a pearl.
A pessimist looks at an oyster
and expects ptomaine poisoning. 

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity.
An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
-Sir Winston Churchill 

A pessimist has no starter,
An optimist has no brakes. 

In the long run, pessimists may be proven right,
but the optimist has a better time on the trip. 

An optimist laughs to forget;
the pessimist forgets to laugh.

[simonm]

I have absolutely no faith in humanity and think that the world is such a disgusting place that I wouldn't even want to have children.

Still, it's not all bad is it?

[CyberSurfer]

Me, I'm definately an optimist!

I have no idea

[simonm]

Chenko, if you're unsure,

If you have a glass of water in front of you and you drink half of it, is it half full or half empty?

[barrk]

Optimist all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[parksie]

Just say it's at half-capacity.

[Pix]

Optimists see the doughnut...

...Pessimists see the hole...

...Apparently

[barrk]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm doughnuts!!!!!!!!!

[Iain17]

Well I think you are pigeon holing people into one of two particular views.

I count myself as a realist.

Originally posted by Pix
Optimists see the doughnut...

...Pessimists see the hole...

...Apparently

Ya know.... 'the hole' isn't so bad, depending on what you're talking about

[simonm]

Iain17,

Well I think you are pigeon holing people into one of two particular views.

I count myself as a realist.

There's no such thing as a realist. Everyone believes they are a realist (or that their interpretation of reality is a real one).

Although I do believe that people may be both optimists and pessimists in different situations.

[Iain17]

Of course there is such a thing as a realist. If we want to get into a debate about things that don’t exist, then let us cross out Optimists and Pessimists as well, seeing as there is no such thing as normal, then each Optimists or Pessimists view is different, so cannot be counted as being a view of an optimist or a pessimist, therefore everyone has there own view on the world.

If I have my own view on the world, which I count as a realists view, then that is my choice, and I define realism as my view.

[Jamagei]

That is awfully profound Iain, well done. And i agree.

[simonm]

Being an optimist or a pessismist is not a particular point of view, it is a general aspect of one's outlook.

To say you are a realist then who am I to stop you? But, does anybody ever not describe themselves as a realist? Who actually believes they have a distorted or biased view of the world?

Saying 'I am a realist' is like saying 'I am who I am'. Alhtough this is not incorrect, it's hardly a meaningful statement!

[Jamagei]

I think though a realists view would be someone who is neither optimistic or pessimistic, but sees it how it is. Some one who is a pessimist might say to some one who is even more pessimistic that they are being a pessimist. even though that person themself is a pessimist. Its all on a varying scale.

[simonm]

Yes, as you suggest, everyone defines their opinions in terms of other peoples and is therefore relative.

To say about one's self: 'I am a realist' is to believe that ones view of the world is not relative as they believe they 'see' the world as it is.

I believe I am a pessimist although I also believe that it is a 'realistic' view of the world. Therefore I am also a realist.

My point is, know one believes (about themselves) that they have an un-realistic point of view. Therefore everyone's a realist.

[barrk]

I believe I have a touch of hedonist in me....

*/me turns and runs away*

[simonm]

There's no such thing as a hedonist!

Some people just seek pleasure more than others.

[Jamagei]

Originally posted by simonm
I believe I am a pessimist although I also believe that it is a 'realistic' view of the world. Therefore I am also a realist.[/B]

That statement doesn't seem to run true. If you believe you are a pessimist then you know that you look at the world with a 'What bad is going to happen next?' attitude, which is not realistic. So you can't be a pessimist and a realist. Nor a optimist and a realist. Basically you can't be at two points on the same scale

[simonm]

As we have already agreed upon earlier, everything is relative.

I only regard myself as pessimist as almost everone I know has a more optimistic outlook than I have. I also believe they are all wrong and that mine is a more 'realistic' point of view.

Similarly, if one regards themselves as an optimist, that is because other people tend to be (relatively) more pessimistic than they are. It is not because they believe they have an unrealistic view reality.