From time to time I’m often told that I am a pessimist as well as often referred to as a pessimist, by many people, including my own mother. Most would find this to be insulting, similar to being referred to a a “Negative Nancy”(which I’ve also been called). I laugh inside at these times, because in actuality I am not really a pessimist, at least not by definition. Sure I often focus on pointing out the bad things in most things I encounter, and I’m not one for expressing the good things. If you look deeper then that you would see that my reason for being negative is different then the average pessimist(is there such thing?).
I used to refer to myself as a “Realist” a term that I picked up from my father, a realization that my mother loathes. In my mind a realist was some one who wasn’t going to dilute there thoughts or perceptions with dreams of hope. “Self defeating” some would say. “why get out of bed?” others would say. These thought-processes are certainly expected, especially since humans desperately need to categorize things into groups, Black or White, without seeing the gradians in between.
The usual perception of a pessimistic person is that that are practically incapable of recognizing the good in anything and if a sliver of hope or good broke through the resentful fog that the mind of the pessimist would smite it. This is where “realists” differ, while they are often the first in a group to point out the bad things that can/will/may happen, they deeply cherish the good things in life, but (and heres the kicker) the realize that happiness is a fleeting thing.
Life is supposed to have happiness in it, but not be filled with it. The bell curve of life, for there to be happiness there must be suffering, most moments fall somewhere in between. This is one of the points where myself as a pessimist/realist feel that optimists are wrong. You cannot see every moment as a moment of happiness, yes your alive, yes thats wonderful, but remember to live is to die, two sides of the same coin. I’m straying from the point, optimists want to look at everything with happiness to take the good from everything and discard the bad. This is all and good, but what do you do when you have been wronged, let them step all over you with the mantra “at least I’m still alive”? What if The HIV virus made you beautiful and smart? Would you just except it, because it made you beautiful and smart or would you fight for a cure.
Pessimism the way I see it or at least my pessimistic viewpoint is kind of a “grass is always greener” effect. While things are not horrible now, there are still flaws. By pointing out those flaws I intend to fix them. Pessimistic of now, optimistic of the future if you will. Things can always be better and things can always be worse(and why is it optimists are always the first to point out the latter when you say that things can always be better?).
Realists, have an understanding that good things and bad things happen, for good and bad reasons, but nothing is accomplished without hard work. To be optimistic and say that as long as you put your mind to it you will accomplish it, would be to leave your self totally unprepared/potentially devastated by any obstacles in your path and to be pessimistic and say that you will never accomplish it will obviously lead to self-fulfilled prophecy.
No Comments Yet
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
