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Corvida Raven
Brooklyn, NY
United States

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Are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why?

Yesterday, during Session 2 of TED University at TEDGlobal 2011, host June Cohen asked: Are you optimistic or pessimistic. and why? and asked for answers of one sentence.

Since there is a little more room (and time) for writing on TED Conversations, answer in 1-3 sentences whether you are optimistic or pessimistic, and why.

Related Talks:

Topics: Optimism Pessimism perspectives tedglobal2011

Closing Statement from Corvida Raven

Thank you all for your responses! This was a great Conversation. The TED team is happy to know that the majority of our audience has a relatively positive outlooks on life. We appreciate your participation everyone!

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Victoria Samra 10+
- 0
Jul 20 2011: I am a pessimist because I was raised that way.
philip richards
- 0
Jul 20 2011: Is my glass half full or hallf empty? It doesnt matter because Its half empty.
Mark Hurych
- 0
Jul 20 2011: Hi Corvida Raven
Either we say there are no such things as miracles or else everything we witness in life is miraculous. I believe that that is our choice in every moment. In order to thrive, from the level of our cells to the level of our biosphere, we must choose optimism and focus on the best possible outcomes for any and all situations.

If things are seemingly going well, we can still improve our opportunities for thrivability while celebrating what we have. If things are not going well, we still owe it to ourselves to do the best we can with what we have.

Death be not proud (John Donne)
Hope springs eternal in the human breast (Alexander Pope)
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings;
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings (Shakespeare's Richard III)

So I am an incurable optimist.
Mark
Gene Evangelist
- +2
Jul 20 2011: It's all about the journey not the destination.
Chris Emerson Wooten
- 0
Jul 20 2011: (my first time on the website here,!} is the optimistic-pessimistic 2-choice or a scle? dependent on your personality tendencies (genetic), &/or your experience? a choice, or an automatic reaction? (and I'm listing 2-choice questions! hah!) the situation will influence the answer, or are you asking about "in general, over your lifetime so far..." or how we identify? i haven't had a chance toread the other resonses yet, not look at the videos related to the question yet. but hope that a time limit on the "conversation" is just for responses, and will still be here when i have time tomorrow to see the things posted by others! (have not had time to look up how everything works here,yet, either!) it's a fascinating subject. i'm not sure (no scientist), but i think a strong tendency may be hardwired into some people by their genes. i think of myself as neither -- that optimistic would be unrealistic, and pessimistic rather depressing. i prefer to think i am concerned but hopeful.... (not having faith everything will turn out ok, but working toward the possibilities of better..)
Matt Hintzke
- 0
Jul 19 2011: My opinion:

Pessimism is the root of all failure
- Gene Evangelist
  - 0
  Jul 20 2011: It's all about the journey ot the destination.
- philip richards
  - 0
  Jul 20 2011: And optimism is the root of all success
Beth Mann
- 0
Jul 19 2011: I'm ultimately an optimist, but I really resent people pushing optimism on me, as if being pessimism was some sort of crime. It's that "Smile!" or "Just think positively!" philosophy that makes me cringe. It's SO overly simplistic. It's alright to feel angry. It's alright to experience negative emotions. People's discomfort with that concept is so strange to me.
- Jordan MacPhee
  - 0
  Jul 20 2011: I agree, the optimism shouldn't just be for optimism's sake. I used to feel as though I had to choose between two extremes: happy and useless or unhappy and worthwhile, but nothing in the world is that black and white, is it? I think I'm heading toward a better middle ground now where I try to do my best to educate myself about what's morally right and worth valuing today but not just stopping there, but going the extra mile and actually ACTING on it, without letting myself become discouraged when it doesn't feel like I'm being appreciated or recognized for my efforts. After all, it's not about getting noticed for doing good, it's about knowing that you're truly acting on the behalf of what you actually believe is right in the world rather than what you think will get you the most short term material gains.
  
  And with negative emotions, I think of them merely as reminders that everything bad in the world isn't simply erased with a smile, but in order for those negative emotions to be overcome, you have to conquer the source of them, whether that be in the form of some internal struggle with laziness or an external struggle with someone or some group who acts in a way that you deem harmful to the world in some way.
- Colleen Steen 500+
  - 0
  Jul 20 2011: Beth,
  I agree...I don't like anything pushed on me either. You're right...it's ok to feel angry and experience all emotions. I think we can experience all emotions and still be optimistic, and/or pessimistic. As so many insightful people have pointed out on this thread, optimism AND pessimism can co-exist.
  
  I agree Jordan...nothing in the world is that black and white. Balance, or middle ground is ALWAYS desirable, in my perception. For me, there are no "negative emotions". All emotions are valuable, and can teach us something about ourselves when/if we're willing to learn...don't you think? If we can learn from our emotions, how can they be negative? Perhaps it is our perception of certain emotions that "color" them? I have had more success with understanding all aspects of emotions, rather than trying to "conquer" them:>)
Jordan MacPhee
- 0
Jul 19 2011: I think I become pessimistic when it seems like my efforts don't make a difference in the world and it seems like I'm wasting my energy. In contrast, I think I become optimistic from either internal motivation which results from my desire to make changes happen, or from hearing a piece of good news which gives me a reason to hope for the future. Basically, I think it comes down to whether you want to turn yourself into a) a pessimistic victim OF the world or b) an optimistic source of positive change IN the world.

If you don't believe that anything you do makes a difference in the world, then of course that kind of depressing, helpless thinking will make you a pessimist, but I think it's that kind of thinking which infects hundreds of millions of people until we get the kind of nihilistic, apathetic, and detached civilization we have today. On the other hand, in the face of adversity, every individual taking responsibility for him or herself and their actions and realizing that change doesn't happen overnight is the only way that worldwide change has ever and will ever occur.

Mainly, I consider myself an optimistic environmentalist who seriously regards climate change as a huge problem which is only made worse by widespread denialism, complacency, and inaction in our society, so I've gone through a lot of effort to change my life in many ways to follow through with my values. I've switched to a vegan diet, I buy local food as much as possible, I only travel long distances by bus and I bike as much as possible rather than drive my car to minimize my carbon dioxide pollution, I take short showers and turn off the water in the shower unless I'm rinsing off shampoo or soap, and I go out to restaurants and the movies as sparingly as possible because of the polluting practices involved with those types of businesses.

The way I see it, if I don't take responsibility and make changes in my own life, I don't have the right to expect anyone else to make changes in theirs.
Scott Nightingale
- 0
Jul 19 2011: A friend once told me I have "the positive psychosis" I think this is a good thing. I am optimistic because I am. I still love and appreciate my pain and those who are pessimistic. I restate I am optimistic, because I am. And, being is good...for me!
Brian Gonsalves
- +1
Jul 19 2011: I am optimistic, because to be any other way ignores the human spirit and the incredible contributions to our collective experiences here. We must look to each other for solutions to our problems and solve the ones that we can. Hunger, wars, global warming, etc. require from each of us the optimist outlook and determination.
Kunal Bavishi
- 0
Jul 19 2011: Have got 2 quotes on subject “Optimist is the one who thinks bullshit is a fertilizer”“Pessimists are Optimists with experience” after reading this you have a good laugh or you take it seriously may depend on whether you are an optimist or pessimist.
- Eun A Jo 10+
  - 0
  TED Translator
  
  Jul 19 2011: Taking something seriously does not mean you're a pessimist. (IF, that's what you're suggesting. I cannot be sure since you use those ambiguous words: "may depend.")
- Andrew Simon
  - 0
  Jul 19 2011: You can think of it this way:
  If you're pessimistic, then you're always either right or pleasantly surprised.
John Valdernex
- 0
Jul 19 2011: Also, considerer that the humanity have been in war since exists, showing no respect for the human race and with increased levels of violence and unconsious
Richard Vanyo
- 0
Jul 19 2011: Optimist, I always do my best to promote the idea of solutions. Something can always be done, but are we always willing to try it? The solution is rarely the simplest or easiest way to go, but it usually works.
Richard Vanyo
- 0
Jul 19 2011: Optimistic, I believe that all people are, at heart righteous.
John Valdernex
- +1
Jul 19 2011: In a world where more than half are starving, killing, been oppresed and abused; and also there is a quarter which are continuosly stressed, living only for ourselves, thinking in money and power, no matter the rest of mankind, it´s a really hard question to answer
Stephen Lewis
- 0
Jul 18 2011: I know there is a lot wrong but aren't we alive during a time when humans are living longer, fewer infant mortality rates (not equal everywhere but higher everywhere) more information, less violence ( I know that seems hard to believe but the Dark Ages are almost gone). What do you think Corvida? I mean optimist or pessimist?
Peter Hodges
- +1
Jul 18 2011: Whether you are optimistic or pessimistic largely depends on your age. If you are young, you will probably be optimistic about the future, but if you are old you are more likely to be pessimistic. Cynicism comes with age, I think almost universally.
- Debra Smith 200+
  - +4
  Jul 18 2011: Well Peter, I think that a large percentage of the optimists on this page are middle aged or better. Optimism is a function of several characteristics and can be correleated with age for some people but not for others. I am over 50 and consider myself an optimist.
  - Gene Evangelist
    
    +4
    Jul 19 2011: Debra. I agree with you. What tends to happen in life is as people grow old they have encounters which can leave many people feeling negative. We all have these up and down times. But the true optimist sees these things as learning experiences and moves on with a lesson not a residue of pessimism.
    Gene Evangelist
  - Peter Hodges
    
    0
    Jul 19 2011: I think it might be useful to give some quotations here. They are from Ambrose Bierce.
    OPTIMISM, n. The doctrine, or belief, that everything is beautiful, including what is ugly, everything good, especially the bad, and everything right that is wrong. It is held with greatest tenacity by those most accustomed to the mischance of falling into adversity, and is most acceptably expounded with the grin that apes a smile. Being a blind faith, it is inaccessible to the light of disproof—an intellectual disorder, yielding to no treatment but death. It is hereditary, but fortunately not contagious.
    PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile.
    It's important to remember that the pessimist will always be right in the end because we will all die eventually. I have to admit though, that optimists will probably have a better journey through life.
    - Matt Hintzke
      
      0
      
      Jul 19 2011: those definitions are much too extreme to address what most people view as pessimistic or optimistic. I am an optimist, but I do not believe "everything right that is wrong" or am driven by "blind faith". I happen to be extremely practical and logical in my thinking and faith is rarely part of my views. However, I do believe that your life is what you make of it and if you want to be a depressing, pessimistic person then go ahead, but do not go and make the assumption that optimists are driven by blind faith and a belief that everything in the world is "good".
    - Debra Smith 200+
      
      0
      
      Jul 20 2011: Dear Peter, Anything written by anyone, worthy or unworthy, can be quoted. Having lived a full life with some terrible episodes and some great ones, I still see the good in this world clearly. I think that makes me an optimist. I have stared evil in the eyes, I have loved and lost, I have had cancer and still I am not defeated because of the beauty that I see everywhere around me. The ugly and the evil are there and often they are powerful. However, I know, not just think but know that there are millions of people who want to just get through life kindly, loving, helping their kids and neighbours to have better lives. There are more good guys than bad guys and that keeps me optimistic.All pessimists are welcome to their view. I just inist that mine is valid too- based on experience and overcoming.
    - Gerasim Mihalev
      
      +1
      
      Jul 20 2011: very wrong quotes im not old but that is optimistic doesn't mean you got to be happy on everything what happens, this is more like to say "god will punish them" and just leave...
Abhiram Lohit 10+
- 0
Jul 18 2011: (Edited, to better reflect my thoughts)

I'm pessimistic that our society cannot revert back to simpler times. We are on an ever-accelerating mad race to get nowhere. Our political, economic and trade systems show that, and our consumerist mentality is feeding the frenzy.

I'm pessimistic that we can never stabilize human population, proportionate to the resources available.

I'm optimistic that people will gradually "wake up" to the "really real" reality.

I'm optimistic that the optimists will come up with ideas to change the world just to show the pessimists that change is possible. However, I'm pessimistic about the number of pessimists going down.
- Tim blackburn 30+
  - +2
  Jul 18 2011: there is no time where life has been simple.
  - Abhiram Lohit 10+
    
    +1
    Jul 19 2011: why not? what about the time when we had the barter system :-) or when we grew our own food, so we didn't have to work in offices to earn "money" to buy food.
    - Matt Hintzke
      
      0
      
      Jul 19 2011: Yes that worked, but what do you think got us here? People were not able to grow every food they may want on their land. People want variety, and variety is only cheap when consumerism takes place. And you are telling me that using a barter system is "simpler" than searching an item on amazon, finding the lowest price, and clicking buy? I find that a little hard to believe.
  - Abhiram Lohit 10+
    
    0
    Jul 19 2011: Seriously, I think the barter system went away because they didn't have a common commodity to use to exchange their goods in case the other person didn't want their goods. But other than that, the processes were simpler.
    
    When you talk about ordering stuff off of amazon, it's only simple for you :) Think about the complex background processes and systems that need to be maintained. The internet, web maintenance, huge servers, miles upon miles of cable under the ocean, huge network of transportation systems - road, air and sea.
    
    I think the networks began when people started getting greedy to get better profits in the next town or the neighboring country. Greed is good, but only to a certain extent. Because without greed, we wouldn't have all the development, but too much of it leads to unestimated energy consumption, and before we know it we are out of it, and in search of alternative sources too late. Well, the actual economics is obviously more complicated, and I don't know too much.
    
    You could read "Economics in One Lesson" by Henry Hazlitt, It's considered a classic, and it's available online for free. There he gives an example about a broken glass window. It's an expense for the baker, but it doen't generate new employment, because it's only a replacement. The book does a very nice job of explaining.
    - Matt Hintzke
      
      0
      
      Jul 20 2011: Well isn't that what so many careers now entail? To make human lives easier and to assist us as much as we can? The definition of a mechanical engineer is roughly to design and produce mechanical systems that allow less work to be done by humans and more by machine.
      All this hard work has paid off. The networking we have in the world today is amazing!! I mean, look at this site alone. On it, we can view videos of people around the world instantly, we can talk and communicate on these conversation boards with people across the world in India, Iran, Russia, ect..
      The complexity of our society has opened up so many opportunities of knowledge and understanding, I cannot imagine it being a good to want to reduce our knowledge and communication of sake of simplicity.
- Colleen Steen 500+
  - +1
  Jul 19 2011: Dear Abhiram,
  Are we on an accelerated path to NOWHERE? Or NOW HERE?
  Being an optimist, I tend to think we are learning more about how to be NOW HERE:>)
  Sometimes, we need to experience the "frenzy" that stirs the pot, for us to realize what is important?
  - Abhiram Lohit 10+
    
    0
    Jul 19 2011: Hi Colleen,
    The frenzy usually consumes us and we become like cartoon characters: Tom chasing Jerry, and Elmer Fudd hunting down Bugs Bunnies, and Ducks and Rabbits squabbling.
    
    I sometimes wonder what would happen if we were to slow down production to 50% of present-day. Businesses would run slower, with lower profit margins, people would have to wait longer to get a new iPod, etc. So what?
    - Colleen Steen 500+
      
      +2
      
      Jul 19 2011: I don't honestly think that businesses are going to slow down. I do, however, feel that more individuals are realizing the benefits of slowing down and finding balance:>)
      Slow down...come visit my gardens:>)
      
      http://smugdud.smugmug.com/Quintessential%20Vermont
  - Abhiram Lohit 10+
    
    +2
    Jul 19 2011: Colleen,
    
    Are you really actually inviting me to come visit your gardens in Vermont? Because if I get in you can't get me out of there for days!! :-)
    
    Beautiful, magnificent work, Colleen. Do you do all the gardening yourself (I'm guessing you do have help, it looks like a really huge place)?
    
    Also, I guess I was being overly pessimistic. When we realize that we're pessimistic, then we begin to get optimistic about doing something to bring about change. If we're optimistic all the time then we might not even realize there is something wrong and it needs to change.
    - Jordan MacPhee
      
      0
      
      Jul 20 2011: I like this bit at the end: "When we realize that we're pessimistic, then we begin to get optimistic about doing something to bring about change. If we're optimistic all the time then we might not even realize there is something wrong and it needs to change." Well-put. Once you veer to far to either side, you realize the wisdom in the opposite approach and begin to lean once again to the sanity near the middle.
    - Colleen Steen 500+
      
      0
      
      Jul 20 2011: Dear Abhiram,
      It would be a pleasure to have you visit the gardens. In the moment I sent you the link, I was inviting you to "come to the gardens" by way of the photos AND you are always welcome in person as well:>)
      
      The "place" is only 7/10 of an acre, but HUGE in many other ways...know what I mean? I have had help from my brothers and friends installing the fountains, ponds and larger features. Once in awhile friends come to "play" in the gardens...mostly, I maintain them myself, and enjoy every moment of the process:>)
      
      I can see how both optimistic and pessimistic may motivate people to create change. Personally, I've always seen the silver lining and light at the end of the tunnel. I have been accused of living in a fantasy world...not facing reality. I ask whose reality? If I can help create a reality that is more pleasing, more respectful of all people and our environment...then it is a fantasy I want to help spread...an idea worth sharing...in my humble opinion:>)
Harun Ornek
- 0
Jul 18 2011: hi Sharon,
I am a self-employed teacher.live in istanbul.But would you please tell me for what purpose you connect the the activists more importantly there are variety of activists so which ones do you mean in particula?Further more I would like to know what kind of activities you demonstrate..
best regards,
jonathan taveras
- 0
Jul 18 2011: I strive to feel neither,..for neither approach suggests a solution only how to feel about a problem.
These notions induce foresight. they force us to recompile all information and try to make an educated guess, then based on this guess you decide whether you "feel " good or bad about what might happen( according to you), besides, we all know how good humans are at predicting the future....
How a person Feels does not change what needs to be Done.
Nicholas Lukowiak 50+
- 0
Jul 18 2011: Both, because all people at times are both optimistic and pessimistic.

Do I feel I am more one than another?

Yes, depending on the topic I will think realistically or I will think idealistically. Often more than not I think myself to be an idealist-realist. Realism is very pessimistic at times, no nonsense! But idealism allows imagination to be acceptable in debate, optimistic nonsense!
Al Rodbell
- +1
Jul 18 2011: Pessimistic: In 1950, at age ten, five years after the greatest war in history that the good guys won, there was an outpouring of futuristic optimism. Sure, we had Communism to deal with, but technology was burgeoning and the book burners were defeated. It's turned out that we didn't need to burn books, they could be eliminated by tabloid journalism and partisan slogans, that have defined our culture by their ubiquity and simplicity. There is no metric on the decline of engaging conversation on a personal and public level, but for those who remember a different time, it's undeniable.
- Tim blackburn 30+
  - 0
  Jul 18 2011: a time with sperate drinking fountains?
  - Al Rodbell
    
    +1
    Jul 19 2011: Separate drinking fountains existing in the southern states, only. The cultural changes over the last 60 years in this country have been profound. Why in the world would you point to Jim Crow laws, when there were vast differences in gender roles, sexual mores, and most everything that defines a society.
    
    I was referring to depth of intellectual engagement. Television had actual dialog among those of different values, they were not on separate stations, but actually talked to each other. And scores of cafeterias in midtown Manhattan had tables full of workers, spending long hours debating politics, who actually went beyond the current partisan venom. Maybe you had to have been there.
Daniel Vais 500+
- 0
TEDx Organizer

Jul 18 2011: Optimism is our natural state. we were born with the ability to see the beauty, love and joy on this planet. if one is not optimistic, you may ask what or who is blocking my view.
Go natural.
James Heal
- 0
Jul 18 2011: At heart an optimist, vocally I probably come across as a pessimist - my defensive nature is pessimistic but when I am comfortable around people I let them into my optimist nature!
Shokrullah Amiri 10+
- 0
Jul 18 2011: I think we should find out what value pessimism has so we could take and add to optimism leading to a realistic –optimism.
Rafi Amin 20+
- +1
Jul 18 2011: what drives a person to be pessimestic or optimisstic ? Can someone provide some information ?
- Shokrullah Amiri 10+
  - 0
  Jul 18 2011: It is the information.
  
  Usually if you don’t have complete information for the decision, it drives you to become pessimistic or too optimistic to take that decision. So the more information you have on positive and negative side of every decision, is the complete information for the right decision.
Dave Murray
- 0
Jul 17 2011: Pessimism is a persistent unwanted guest. It also seems like a bad joint that you fight throughout life to ignore. Only we are going to bring the solutions. Pessimism seems more prevalent these days. I have just joined this site, Unoque.Com and one other in hopes to find more solutions.

If I give in to the pessimism I think I am lost and I am not yet there. I hope.

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