Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
By tjades
@tjades (3591)
Jamaica
July 2, 2009 10:44am CST
I think I am a little of both. Its really no fun always having pessimistic views and certainly aint fun dealing with pesimistic persons. Yet I find that it is necessary to have a pesimistic view sometimes.
Optimist in my opinion can become a little too free for all and sometimes never know when to call it quits or when to put their foot down. Pessimist on the other hand tend to choke the life out of everything if you let them take control.
By definition [b][i]pessimism is the lack of of hope or confidence in the future.
Optimism on the other hand is the hopefulness and confidence about the future or success of something.[/i][/b]
Isnt there a time to be optimistic and then pessimistic, about wars for example, marriages of a certain nature, a business venture which just keeps going bad? I believe these two ways of viewing the future helps to bring a balance to how we really ought to proceed and helps us to face reality a bit more.
There are relationships and ventures (business and otherwise) which I was pessimistic about but friends and families were very optimistic. In the long run my pessimism seemed the be the right route (time and resources/emotions wasted). Of course there were times when I had to play catch-up or simple acknowledge I was wrong. The same thing happens at work. I feel that this is how it should be.
My view: Optimism and pessimism are both important as they bring balance to our lives.
Which side of the fence are you sitting on?
3 people like this
19 responses
@gatorgirl239 (5)
• United States
2 Jul 09
I think, at this point in my life, I'm a realist. I found myself being an optimist when all things in my life are going right - and when I was happy, however I never found myself being a pessimist (looking at things like everything is wrong, or we have no influence on what happens to us) and I think the alternate option to pessimism is realism, just facing things as they come :]
2 people like this
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
3 Jul 09
Hi tjades, I am more of an Optimist. I have had some very harrowing experiences in life and had I been a pessimist, I would have probably given up or worse turned into a hateful,bitter person not able to come to terms...anyways, I stuck on with hope and always had this belief that things can't get worse, but as it turned out they did. They are still bad , but I manage because of my optimism. I am practical too and don't hanker after things that are beyond my reach...
I personally feel that there should be no place in life for pessimism. I have seen people getting totally disillusioned with life..all the best and happy mylotting
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
4 Jul 09
Whew... Those situations where things are always going bad does call for an optimistic spirit or else you'll just go under.
I still believe though that pessimism as its place and saves us from hurt/failure sometimes. Take for example getting involved with someone for viable business purpose, relationship or just hiring them to do a job. Everything seems well but for some reason you feel uncomfortable. You cant put your finger on it exactly but you go along with the negative feeling and opt out much to the ire of the other/s involved. You later realise the wisdom in your dicision.
An optimistic person would maybe shove all the "negative" thoughts aside and go ahead with the plans.
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
5 Jul 09
I feel that we have an built antenna which warns us against anything that is not in our interest.Even otherwise we have to take care when there is need for caution in such situation s where we are exposing ourselves to a certain amount of danger. But pessimism is something else where one is only being negative...
1 person likes this
@OfficialMobster (40)
•
3 Jul 09
Well I think that you have to be a bit of both at times. If you are too pessimistic, you will never see the good in anything and always be sad. If you are too optimistic, things may turn out bad for you since you are always thinking good will happen to you.
For example, I think in some cases, that it is ok to be pessimistic. Gambling in the lottery is a good example as there are millions that play it and so many possible outcomes that it is unlikely that you can win.
In other cases, it is good to be optimistic. When you take an exam of some sort, you need to be optimistic so you can do your best. Feeling pessimistic will make you forget things and end up failing.
1 person likes this
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
4 Jul 09
I have often heard it being said by the elderly that we must take everything with a little grain of salt. I guess what they meant is that we ought to hold a little reservation about the outcome in all situations.
Things could go either way but that grain of salt should not become too dominant.
@kspezza09 (86)
• United States
3 Jul 09
I am in the middle for i do not judge sire....
1 person likes this
@gadget_lover (132)
• India
3 Jul 09
I am optimist most of the times. But I feel one should become pessimist at times which helps in saving ourselves. For example, if you know some people who try to causes troubles by taking advantage your sincerity, you should approach with pessimism which discourages such persons.
1 person likes this
@kabudel (175)
• Philippines
3 Jul 09
I usually start from the standpoint of pessimism and from there I get the encouragement of being optimistic. I find it better to start with all the cons in a situation, weighing them and figuring out how to turn those negative points into positive ones. I believe that in every situation, there is good and there is bad. it's a matter of looking at all the possible angles there is then deciding where you wanna be. :)
1 person likes this
@akotalagato (1334)
• Philippines
3 Jul 09
I would like to think that I am an optimist. I like to think that the future will always be okay. but there are times of trouble when I think that there is no solution to a problem. so i think that, i am both.
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
4 Jul 09
Seems you are saying you tend have bad luck whenever you become optimistic. What I would possibly do in your case is make sure I wiegh the pros and the cons in situations I feel especially optimistic about and then be prepared to deal and build on whatever comes.
All the best 
@ahmadosama (37)
• Egypt
2 Jul 09
I think I am an optimist during most of the times. but some times i become pessimist i think i am balanced
1 person likes this
@bamrahkirti (1821)
• India
3 Jul 09
Though i am pessimistic but the traits of optimism overpower me .I have seen lots of ups and downs in my life and every time i fight back and emerge as a winner.
There are times when i find myself totally entrapped by negative feelings and that is the time when i find myself most helpless and disillusioned but after some time i gather the courage to bring myself out of these weird situations.So in totality you can say that i am bit of both.
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
2 Jul 09
Hello Tjades. Like you, I am a "halfimist" lol. I do think, however, I lean more toward being an optimist. I always hold onto to hope and faith, even when it appears there is no reason to do so. As we know, appearences can be deceiving :) I am convinced, though, that in some situations, our normal and even desired response is grief, or anger, or other so-called negative emotions. It is how we deal with those that matter.
A very good discussion!1 person likes this
@anotherxidentity (1434)
• United States
2 Jul 09
I'm pretty much an optimist but I'm not the type of person that therefore only thinks of all the good things that can come out of things. I think that no matter what type of person you are, you need to hope for the best but you really need to be rational and think well what are the consequences, what are the worst things that can happen etc.
For me I'm going to think about what happens if this doesn't work etc. because I'm not going in thinking it will, but its better to have that Plan B instead of something not working out and then freaking out about it later on.
I think the funniest thing people always comment about is when I split tea on my computer and $1300 it was fixed and I was like well I learned my lesson and I basically got a brand new computer! Yeah I didn't have the money and it was the worse week waiting to get it back, but why linger on those facts and not push through it and move on?
1 person likes this
@toonvk (267)
• Belgium
3 Jul 09
I'm definitely an optimist. I always live on the bright side of life. I just hate it when people start talking negative, it brings me down. If you want something hard enough you can get it. So think positive, and go for it! People who always talk negative are basically quitters. Losers. They don't want to find a way to make it better.
1 person likes this
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
4 Jul 09
That is definately true Toonvk. No one wants to be around someone who is negative all the time.
An optimist though I am though I find that a little pessimism as heled me make the right decision in the past and so I incoporate both habits to bring me some balance.
Thanks for sharing
@Butterfly007 (182)
• China
3 Jul 09
How should I say,Mmm, I am more likely an optimistic person though there are always some good imaginations for the hopeful future.
1 person likes this
@abetole (221)
• India
2 Jul 09
Hello, I think I am an optimist during most of the times. One only time I become pessimist is when it's not my day and everything goes wrong. During those times I tend to be negative; however something happens, which encourages me and I become positive. I would say that I am 90 percent optimistic and 10 percent pessimistic...let's see what other mylotters say...cheers...
@EliteUser (3964)
• Australia
28 Sep 09
Hey,
Well everyone sees me as a pessimist type person by the way I don't really laugh much or don't talk to people that much, but on the inside I am truly an optimist type person, I look at the glass as half full. Make sure you have a good day, God bless and Happy Lotting!!
@Zhizho (1350)
• Indonesia
2 Jul 09
I think,I am optimist person.I always optimist when I do something goodness.I think is important to be optimist because it influence to our work.But to something that I doubt of it,it depend to my feeling.I believe that optimist can bring us to suceesfull.
1 person likes this
@THEcreationist (837)
• India
2 Jul 09
Hi. I think i am an optimist with a slight shade of pessimism. I agree very much that both characteristics are necessary to bring balance to life.
There is a great saying from the great Mahtma Gandhi, "Great persons always strive towards their goals with a worry of losing always in mind."
A slight element of pessimism is necessary to contain our efforts.
One application of pessimism + optimism - A glass is half full is what an optimist would say and thus will be able to recognise the importance of its content. But, his pessimistic attitude will always remind him that it is half empty so that he will strive to make it full.
1 person likes this
