Optimism vs. Pessimism

[Major Zhuinden 128]

I've been having the same debate over and over again for 2 weeks now, and so I thought I should ask your opinions about it.

 

When you're optimistic and believe good things will happen, you have two outcomes - it will be bad, or it will be good.

If it's good, then it's obviously good for you (+) because what you wanted came true.

If it's bad, then it's bad for you (-) because you'll have encountered that the world is not as great and you think, and it's a giant blow to your thoughts, and there is a possibility that acting upon something that was not a real possibility will make you end up having done an irreversible, unforgiveable, inforgettable error.

When you're pessimistic and believe good things cannot happen, you have a definite outcome - nothing.

If good things could happen, then it's either bad for you (-) if you knew about it and you wanted it to happen, or it's neutral (0) because you had not even known, and you don't miss what you don't know about.

If bad things could happen, then it's either good for you (+) if you'll have learnt about how good of a decision you have made with your mistrust, or neutral (0) because you don't really care, but at least it didn't end up bad for you.

 

So the greatest question is - is it worth being optimistic and believe that things can end up good, act on them then suddenly realize that what you have believed was wrong, or is it better to avoid suffering by being passive and pessimistic, and doubt what could be good, thus avoiding the suffering you could encounter?

[aNiMe_FrEaK_ 40]

It's better to be optimistic towards things that you really want to happen so you can be more motivated towards working to them, but then sometimes it's better to be pessimistic towards some outcomes that you strive for but have no control over. So, my answer would be that it is ideal to be both pessimistic and/or optimistic depending on what the conditions are. It's the same with pretty much every philosophy just pick and choose depending on how you feel at any given time.

[GhoztMan 219]

Yeah, a well balanced person should be both - you don't have to be one or the other for your whole life. The whole point of it is to be able to adapt and change your views as your world changes around you.