As one wag once put it, "The optimist believes we are living in the best of all possible worlds and the pessimist fears that he is right." However, this survey is comparing apples to oranges a bit. So put me down as a realist.
The problem with comparing optimists and pessimists, which are in opposition to one another, with realist is that the latter is not exclusive of the other two. The realist sees the world as it is, but the optimist and the pessimist can also see the world as it is and still reach opposite conclusions. Thus each can legitimately, weighing and balancing the evidence before them, claim to be realists.
In that sense, this survey then is not a fair comparison. My tendency, it would be argued, is to the pessimistic. Human beings are imperfect and imperfectible, this lending itself as often - if not more often - than not to bad outcomes.
That could be called pessimistic. Yet it is realistic. It recognizes human limitations and understands that such limitations should not discourage positive undertakings, but that such undertakings should recognize the inherent limits of human nature.
Thus in politics, the field in which I work, I subscribe to Burke's notion of governance: "Politics ought to be adjusted not to human reasonings but to human nature, of which reason is but a part and by no means the greatest part...“Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites. ... Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters.”
"In that case, Prudence (in all things a Virtue, in Politicks the first of Virtues) will lead us rather to acquiesce in some qualified plan that does not come up to the full perfection of the abstract Idea, than to push for the more perfect, which cannot be attain'd without tearing to pieces the whole contexture of the commonwealth, and creating an heart-ache in a thousand worthy bosoms. In that case combining the means and end, the less perfect is the more desirable"
"These metaphysic rights entering into common life, like rays of light which pierce into a dense medium, are, by the laws of Nature, refracted from their straight line. Indeed, in the gross and complicated mass of human passions and concerns, the primitive rights of man undergo such a variety of refractions and reflections that it becomes absurd to talk of them as if they continued in the simplicity of their original direction."
This should discourage promethean pretensions. No, you cannot have it all and we do NOT have it in our power to make the world over. However, in recognizing human limits, we can define rights and law in such a way to maximize ordered freedom.
So is that pessimistic? "Humans are corruptible." Is it optimistic? In knowing human limits we can within the scope of human limitations build a decent and good governing order.
Both are true and that is the truth and therefore that is realistic.
Hardcore realist but I think that conjures up cynical thoughts in most people's heads. I see the glass as half full which it actually is, and I rejoice in a glass half full. Some people don't even have a glass in the first place. I am lucky.
An optimist is like someone who expects or hopes someone else to buy them another drink. I never had such hopes or expectations. I will buy another drink for myself if I still have some cash left. I think optimism is dangerous and prone to cynicism because it tends to lead to disappointments, like when no one buys you another drink at the bar. I buy my own drinks, and I'm happy when they're full, half full, and I'm okay when they're empty because I drank it all.
And there are nice things to find in the worst of situations if people could stop complaining for a goddamn minute. That said, I am also inclined towards war when people can't complain for a goddamn minute because I'm like, "Fuck it! Let's fight then!" But fighting is pleasurable to me. So I am turning an ugly situation into a nice one in my head when we get all into fisticuffs.
I am a lover of truth, maybe. There is truth in fists and violence. There is truth in realism. There is distorted truth in optimism and cynicism. I don't like distorting the truth. There is a truthness in fists. There is a truthness in words from the heart. I dislike everything in between.
I'm a realistic cynic. I realize life isn't always good or fair, and accept that as the norm. I see and speak the truth- even if it's not what people want to hear.
Shiiiii I think I'm more of a pessimistic realist.
I say that because I'm usually the guy saying:
"hEy oThEr aPeS tHaT aRe cUrReNtLy sUfFeRiNg fRoM LiFe & WiLL lIkElY DiE iN a VeRy uNcOmFoRTAbLe wAy sOmE dAy, I cOuLd Be WrOnG aBoUt tHiS, BuT ReLaTiVe tO tHiS nEwLy AqUiReD & rAtIoNaL dAtA, wHaT iF tHiS oNe tHiNg tHaT iNvOlVeS uS iS a DiFfErEnT tHiNg tHaN ThE tHiNg wE oRiGiNaLlY tHoUgHt iT wAs? nOt tO eXpLiCitLy sAy iT's nOw gOoDeR thAn iT wAs bEfOrE... bEcAuSe iT could eNd uP bEiNg bAdDeR... aS mAnY tHiNgS uSuAlLy dO bE... bUt i dRaW yOuR cRiTiCaL aTtEnTiOn tO iT bEcAuSe, ReLaTiVe tO tHis dAtA oF CoUrSe, iT cOuLd bE mOrE aCcUrAtE tO oUr rEaLiTy iF wE pErCeIvE tHiS tHiNg iN oThEr wAyS tHaN wE uSuAlLy dO. wHiCh cOuLd bE vErY uSeFuL tO uS. iT cOuLd EveN mAkE oUr bLeAk eXiStEncE bEcOme FiLLeD wiTh a BiT lEsS SuFfErInG tHAn iT aLrEaDy hAs."
Realistic with an Optimistic bend. I'm infinitely aware of the statistical most likely outcome pretty consistently, and because of this I adjust my actions for what should be most successful.
Therefore in the end I'm Optimistic most of the time. But that's only possible because I remain aware of the possible downside. Pessimism/Cynicism is the worst thing for a person and their success
If I had to choose I would rather be more ignorant and win because of a good attitude rather than being a cynic who regularly fulfills his pessimistic prophecies that he "knew" would happen from the start.
I went with "I am a Pessimist". But that's 'cause in short, my mom practically thought that self-confidence is bad for me, and ONLY criticized me for my mistakes, while neglecting any encouragement that I would've gotten. (and when I point it out, her only excuse is that she's only "speaking the truth" (Not only does that help in the slightest, it just "adds to it" -_-* )
For example, she repeatedly gaslighting (was that the right word) me with that ONE mistake, and I'd be fired. As if it's illegal for any and all bosses to expect complete perfection, and have to fire me at the slightest deviation. I mean, I would have been working for a whole year straight without issue, but the moment I'm like, 5 mins late, I'd be fired.
I did eventually figure everything out. But since it has started when I were still a kid, it's a scar that might be slow to heal.
optimism gives people hope and pessimism drains it. That being said plan for the worst and hope for the best. I live as a realist. Pessimistic people miss the birds always looking at their feet but optimistic people trip over shit as they wish to fly with said birds.
There are way too many females saying they're realist in the comments/in the poll. I don't believe that for a second. Bunch of liars and/or unrealistic judgement of how they actually are. There can't be that many realist females on this website. I've barely met any realist females throughout my 35 years so far. Most of them were optimists, pessimists or dreamers.
Yes no matter what I'm just exactly where you are I don't care how bad something is I will make it so it's good LOL I don't have time for being down on myself or anybody else when things happen that we don't like it's our choice to either sit there and let it happen or deal with it and change it I say keep going forward
I'm a pessimist who transformed to an Optimist in his Prime, so even if I'm half-dead, I'm half alive. Poured my half-empty glass in a cup, now my cup has runneth over, and I'm 'bout to set it on you like a mothaf*ckin' coaster. - Eminem
Primarily I am a realist but circumstances can cause a change in my opinion. One example would be my quitting smoking I have been trying for many years but have been pessimistic about my chances. However I am feeling more optimistic about my chances because of the support I am receiving and an anti-depressant that is helping to stop the craving for a cigarette.
Realist is an absurd term. An atheist calls their kind realistic while tribal, spiritual and religious people may believe the atheist, are the ones who have lost their ability to get in touch with reality.
Then there are Agnostics, who dont side with science or faith. Then there is the reality, that the origin of life has not been proven to either side of the given two choices.
I'm not technically & scientist but I do agree with them wayyyy more than I do spiritual people. I'm a sucker for logical trails. I'm only agnostic because sometimes we don't see the logic that is there. Or maybe there are certain systems that don't operate on logic & aren't meant to be proven by this type of being.
While most try to be optimistic, and I try to be AMAP, I am probably a realist most of the time. When confronted with the "glass half full or half empty" I tell them it's full- half liquid and half air. SO, that's fairly real. When I am over-optimistic, it's usually concerning people- few seldom live up to expectations. sigh
I live my life realistically. i dont sugar coat things but im not a dick when im trying to tell you something but to many people have a problem on how i approach things. do i day dream sure who doesn't but at the end of the day i will tell you the truth if you as me a question and won't sugar coat it but i won't be cruel with my answer
I am a realist but since I am a engineer and focus on problem solving, people can get the impression that I am a pessimist. Since positive outcomes rarely need to be focused on.
I tend to be a pessimist because I always thought it'd be better not to expect anything more. That way, if something good happens, it's a surprise but otherwise I wouldn't get disappointed since the outcome would be already known.
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