AI
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 9:55:42 AM
A critique of optimism... (submitted for your consideration, without targeting anyone in particular).
BEGINNING OF RANT...
Were Adam and Eve, just before they ate the apple and believing that it would probably be OK, being optimists, pessimists, or realists? Optimists, I believe.
Are the suicide bombers, believing the promises of instant delivery to paradise, resulting from their actions, being optimists, pessimists, or realists? Optimists, I believe. (The guys that made the promises, probably believe it too, and are also optimists).
Was Hitler, while establishing the Third Reich and implementing the final solution, believing that would solve many of the world's (or Germany's) problems, being an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Were Lenin, Stalin and Mao, believing that the worker's utopia could be achieved by just turning everyone else into slaves of the state, denying inherent human nature and killing or imprisoning all who didn't go along, being optimists, pessimists or realists? Optimists, I believe.
Was Saddam Hussein, when he invaded Kuwait believing he would get away with it, being an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Is Usama bin Laden, believing he can help bring the final triumph of Islam to the world, being an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Is the last person that bought that last share of stock at the very top of the market believing that it would go still higher, being an optimist, a pessimist or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Is the kid, shooting heroin into his arm, believing that will make his problems go away, being an optimist, a pessimist or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Are the people who believe the world would be just perfect (or at least a far better place) if only all of the people would just...(whatever), being optimists, pessimists, or realists? Optimists, I believe.
Are the people who believe that the end justifies the means, being optimists, pessimists or realists?
Optimists, I believe.
etc. etc., etc...(ad infinitum and nauseum).
Optimism is fun, easy, feels good and is usually relatively painless, requiring very little thought or effort. ("Just put on a happy face and focus on the bright side!") When the killer asteroid, with our number on it, starts heading our way, we'll see if the collective optimists' "happy faces and bright sides focus" works very well as an asteroid deflector.
Optimists tend to confuse realists with pessimists. From their lofty and "positive" perspective, both of the other two groups tend to look the same. ("They're not being optimists!"<pout). Please get rid of those goofy looking, and reality distorting rose-colored glasses (the source of the rosy scenarios). Solving REAL problems, without creating new, worse ones, is often very hard, and error prone work, and is adequately appreciated, recognized and rewarded only sometimes.
Realists tend to have quite a few real issues with the optimists. The pessimists have given up, and don't tend to cause the problems, or at least usually don't make them worse. Realists like and appreciate that. (Don't just do something, stand there!) Sometimes, pessimists point out relevant factors and probabilities that the realists haven't figured out yet.
Once again, as usual, it falls in the laps of the realists, to pick up the pieces, identify the REAL problems and solve them. One of the most important problems screaming for a solution, is a world inhabited by way to many optimists. Realists think the world needs many more realists, a few more pessimists and almost no optimists, at all. This, in and of itself, would solve many of the existing problems and result in a very significant reduction of new serious and trivial problems.
There are more than enough problems to go around already, that cry out for, and can use, everyone's best intelligent and constructive efforts to help solve. Beware of the problem solutions' unintended consequences, and the road to hell paved with (the most optimistic of) good intentions. BEFORE taking action, don't forget to keep on asking, "What is the probable downside of this course of action, and can we live with it or does it just make things worse, and create more problems?". The world doesn't need any more problems. REALLY!!!
OPTIMISM, THE WRONG CHOICE! (Sorry to rain on your parade, if you're an optimist)
Of course, this is just MY opinion, and I could be wrong.
...END OF RANT.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent, I feel better now.
Robo
reasonably_hopeful_for_some_improvement_but_not_expecting_a_miracle@realists.com
REALITY, the road less traveled.
BEGINNING OF RANT...
Were Adam and Eve, just before they ate the apple and believing that it would probably be OK, being optimists, pessimists, or realists? Optimists, I believe.
Are the suicide bombers, believing the promises of instant delivery to paradise, resulting from their actions, being optimists, pessimists, or realists? Optimists, I believe. (The guys that made the promises, probably believe it too, and are also optimists).
Was Hitler, while establishing the Third Reich and implementing the final solution, believing that would solve many of the world's (or Germany's) problems, being an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Were Lenin, Stalin and Mao, believing that the worker's utopia could be achieved by just turning everyone else into slaves of the state, denying inherent human nature and killing or imprisoning all who didn't go along, being optimists, pessimists or realists? Optimists, I believe.
Was Saddam Hussein, when he invaded Kuwait believing he would get away with it, being an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Is Usama bin Laden, believing he can help bring the final triumph of Islam to the world, being an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Is the last person that bought that last share of stock at the very top of the market believing that it would go still higher, being an optimist, a pessimist or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Is the kid, shooting heroin into his arm, believing that will make his problems go away, being an optimist, a pessimist or a realist? An optimist, I believe.
Are the people who believe the world would be just perfect (or at least a far better place) if only all of the people would just...(whatever), being optimists, pessimists, or realists? Optimists, I believe.
Are the people who believe that the end justifies the means, being optimists, pessimists or realists?
Optimists, I believe.
etc. etc., etc...(ad infinitum and nauseum).
Optimism is fun, easy, feels good and is usually relatively painless, requiring very little thought or effort. ("Just put on a happy face and focus on the bright side!") When the killer asteroid, with our number on it, starts heading our way, we'll see if the collective optimists' "happy faces and bright sides focus" works very well as an asteroid deflector.
Optimists tend to confuse realists with pessimists. From their lofty and "positive" perspective, both of the other two groups tend to look the same. ("They're not being optimists!"<pout). Please get rid of those goofy looking, and reality distorting rose-colored glasses (the source of the rosy scenarios). Solving REAL problems, without creating new, worse ones, is often very hard, and error prone work, and is adequately appreciated, recognized and rewarded only sometimes.
Realists tend to have quite a few real issues with the optimists. The pessimists have given up, and don't tend to cause the problems, or at least usually don't make them worse. Realists like and appreciate that. (Don't just do something, stand there!) Sometimes, pessimists point out relevant factors and probabilities that the realists haven't figured out yet.
Once again, as usual, it falls in the laps of the realists, to pick up the pieces, identify the REAL problems and solve them. One of the most important problems screaming for a solution, is a world inhabited by way to many optimists. Realists think the world needs many more realists, a few more pessimists and almost no optimists, at all. This, in and of itself, would solve many of the existing problems and result in a very significant reduction of new serious and trivial problems.
There are more than enough problems to go around already, that cry out for, and can use, everyone's best intelligent and constructive efforts to help solve. Beware of the problem solutions' unintended consequences, and the road to hell paved with (the most optimistic of) good intentions. BEFORE taking action, don't forget to keep on asking, "What is the probable downside of this course of action, and can we live with it or does it just make things worse, and create more problems?". The world doesn't need any more problems. REALLY!!!
OPTIMISM, THE WRONG CHOICE! (Sorry to rain on your parade, if you're an optimist)
Of course, this is just MY opinion, and I could be wrong.
...END OF RANT.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent, I feel better now.
Robo
reasonably_hopeful_for_some_improvement_but_not_expecting_a_miracle@realists.com
REALITY, the road less traveled.
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