Philosopher AI
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It’s better to be pessimistic or optimistic?
I’m going to have to start with a discussion of what problems we are trying solve when we consider one attitude or the other. I assume that this topic is posed by someone who wishes either for an answer, but more likely just wants the opinion of others on the matter. So, here goes:
Now, to be clear, I’m not going to give a definitive answer here. Instead, I will provide my own thoughts on the matter and leave it up to you (the reader) if you want to agree or disagree with them.
I see two problems that we are trying to solve when considering whether one should be pessimistic or optimistic. The first problem is the most obvious and immediate: in what ways, if any, does someone’s attitude toward how things will turn out affect what actually happens? In other words, will a person’s pessimism negatively impact their life?
The second problem is a bit more subtle and long-term: will being pessimistic or optimistic affect how one experiences the world? Will it change their personality, what they value, etc.? I’ll address this later.
To solve the first problem, we must look at whether there is any evidence that pessimism has a negative effect on one’s life. I don’t think it does.
I think that we can all agree that one’s attitude affects how they experience life. A positive attitude leads to more enjoyment, a negative attitude results in poor experiences. But are these reactions to events themselves or the circumstances surrounding them? In other words, does a person who is optimistic about winning a race actually win it because of their optimism?