Happy birthday R.A.W!

Good reply. You're right about the sort of generalized view of optimism or pessimism. Although a sort of 'generalized agnosticism' uses pessimism as a form, I should suspect - after every conclusion or conviction is reached you'd have to doubt yourself out of comfort in order to continue with the fruits uncertainty. This is precisely the joy of Robert Anton Wilson.

I like Robert's evaluation of optimism vs. pessimism. I'm reminded of a quotation (the source of which I've forgotten): "The pessimist sees only the tunnel. The optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel. The realist sees the tunnel and the light - and the next tunnel."

Impeccable logic. Great video.

@yourealiti finally! Exactly, Balance is key to almost everything in life.

Optimism =/= happiness Pessimism =/= Sadness We're missing that essential formula. A lot of people are really enjoying their pessimism. And a lot of people are optimistic, and they have low times like everyone else. It helps not to think of every dichotomy we encounter as "Good vs. Evil", which is what this fundamental misunderstanding springs from... I think some would agree. In conclusion: Pessimism is bad, because it demands never to be "depressed". The avoidance of the dark side.

Misery is happiness for the pessimistic person. Nothing good ever happens to us so we just accept misery..

The underbelly of existence is an emotional picture describing a large variation of potential negative phenomenon which are entirely beyond your control, or which you have limited control over. An optimist is more likely to tackle a problem, at least one at a time, and solve it, where a pessimist only dwells on the problem and watches you tube videos which affirm only their sense of reality.

I believe in balance. Its impossible to be happy all the time.

So if I realise how crappy life is, I'll live it less... But if I live in denial, I'll live longer? That's actually a tough choice for me.

@audiogarden21

4 күн бұрын

Tshooooooo...

When more humanbeings begin to appreciate that their lives are reasonable, meaningful, not accidental, your experiences change. Think pessimistically, and you shall continue having negative experiences. It's up to you to change your "reality tunnel".

@jesserogers6903

7 жыл бұрын

Well said.

Realtor Dave sent me here.

@MrBinah7 Cioran was a great pessimist, an extreme nihilist and he lived very long too.

that gave me good inspiration i havent left my basement for years jks

this is kinda like asking is it better to be happy or sad...its pretty obvious which one is better.

@vef444 right you are, if only there was such thing as happiness and not lies

@yourealiti Optimism and happiness are 2 very different things...

R.A.W said: "My goal is to try to get people into a state of generalized agnosticism, not agnosticism about God alone, but agnosticism about everything." must consider pessimism, if he wishes a sort of 'generalized agnosticism' to be a reasonably wise choice. Pessimists don't necessarily have to be miserable, often pessimists have a very perceptive sense of humour; after all, it's their 'reality tunnel'. Pessimism or Optimism can be gratuitous in certain events or decisions.

Optimist-glass half full Pessimist- glass half empty Realist-glass is twice as big as it needs to be Opportunist-drink the water while the others are arguing

I agree with both wsmith68 and boocifer, he is most likely using a different definition of optimism... I would like to think he defines optimism more as a conscious state of NON-PARANOIA... I sincerely doubt he is speaking of problems in his life not being there, but, he is simply realizing no matter what those problems may be, he is still existent, and happy overall... Which is far different from an ignorant sense of perfection in society which is what wsmith seems to be defining optimism as.

Ignorance is bliss.

he has a pretty pessimistic view of pessimists

a simplistic ego-based defense. open your mind.

It can't be that simple says the pessimist, determined to have the discussion instead of eating a pizza and then going out to egg L.Ron Hubbard's residence!

@academicroach Well I'm a pessimist, but I'm an odd pessimist. Instead of thinking "I'm not gonna try that because I'll fail", I think "Life wants me to fail that, so I'm gonna do my very best not to fail". If that makes sense. I look on the whole of life as a challenge that I have to overcome.

Who cares what's "wrong"? His point is optimists are healthier and happier. As it is, all you can end up is the most correct depressed dead man in the room.

i dont remember why anymore i wrote this comment 3 months ago now im wondering what does leo strauss have anything to do with RAW

it's sad but i am usually optimistic and secure but when it comes to just my looks i am not willing to accept fact and thats where my depression comes from.

I think we’re all a bit of both to be honest.

@academicroach That's great that you managed to turn your life around, and I'm really happy for you. But even seeing drugs and such in the media makes me see the world in a very bad light.

@yourealiti As an optimist I believe its *possible*. Not hysterically happy, but certainly at least contented. Then again at times... in order to keep openminded, I *don't* believe. As the man would say "belief is the death of intelligence".

I'm not sure if the merits of optimism in this dichotomy are in the correct context. I find looking at this with the concept of depressive realism in mind as essential.

i think the idiots in that room feel as though optimism (right now) IS a should BE. Like....you SHOULD BE optimistic because it is BETTER. Thats the vibe i got from this video. Pessimism and optimism are undefined anyway.... and probably shouldnt even matter.

@ChuckNorrisKratosLOL I'm pretty sure there are plenty of people out there who had good enough reason to be pessimistic about life and no amount of lame reasons for being optimist can change that. Ask the guys who lost home and family in yesterday's quake/tsunami combo at Sendai if they feel optimistic about their lives now.

read leo strauss

That's what I said. You need to read what people type more closely before commenting. Read it properly and slowly then see how silly your response is!

-- His point is optimists are healthier and happier I am pretty sure that persons of lower IQ are having more offspring in this *modern world* also, but that doesn't make low IQ a desirable trait.

-- how can you lump history and the present into such a narrow framework? Is my rhetorical way of asking which path or stance is practically effective: False hope for the sake of contentment or the realism to deal with the underbelly of existence. The two stances are contrary to each other, and need a resolution of scope. When IS it ok to delude ones self with unfullfillable hopes? When is it wrong to face reality? The answer it seems to me, is when one cannot cope. Not that I blame such.

Can I suggest you pay heed to RAW's final reason for being optimistic in the video.

@academicroach I can't see it that way. It just doesn't seem like the kind of ride I'd like to be on, with all the drugs and crime and cheating and lies.

there's also joy in being a pessimist though: sometimes things turn out better than expected :)

naa thats just one kind of optimism an a very hollow one indeed

But apparently they were optimistic about their chances of getting away with it. Or so it would seem. ;o)

@chj43046721gh Well, that can be achieved through suffering.

To the contrary, having a lower IQ has little effect on having offsprings. Low IQ and illiteracy are to extremely different things.

of course optimists live longer... they've got something to fucking live for...if you have a crappy life, why the hell would you want to draw that shit out to 50 more years of misery..

funny how we need to hear what we already know...

@gelidsoul

3 жыл бұрын

funnyguise “They’ll pay to hear what they really think!” - JR Bob Dobbs

@funnyguise

3 жыл бұрын

@@gelidsoul good one. guess I'm a cheap ass...

@Jalt18 True but dont get confused because optimism brings on a lot disappointments in life, again back to balance.

@jesserogers6903

7 жыл бұрын

False. Optimism opens up possibilities. Pessimism is suicide, you dumb fuck.

Wsmith you are way off. Now watch the video again and try to understand.

@85mariapatricia As far as pessimism goes it is much better to be pessimist than optimist, I have a severe mental illness right now and it was because of an optimistic lifestyle. Imagine a world where dissapointment doesn't exist. That world is pessimism

@jesserogers6903

7 жыл бұрын

Need some more Ritalin? The Rockefeller's did a good job convincing you of your misery, and monetising off of it.

Study...the thinkers...your reality is that you can't be happy all the time....you can change that...change your reality....

Yeah Right ! Robert Anton Wilson is the all knowing all seeing huh? just like thousands of other prechers out there in one form or another, why don't people just get on with there lives and live them? happy, sad, drugs, no drugs, faith, no faith, optimist, pessimist, etc etc etc: we live , we die, now that'a a fact, everything in between is just what it is, your life and how you live it is just that, your's !!! do with it what you will, even my words here are just internet bullshit anyway......

I live in reality............you cannot change it no matter how optimistic you are.......

Yeah, it is easy to be an optimist when you work for the CIA.

Optimists live a life of illusions. Pesimists do all the intellectual hard work.

People with high IQs live longest of any. Sorry, my friend, but evolution is with the smart optimists. I say this as a native negative thinker.

I view optimism much like 'praying for the best' - or worse 'self-induced naivete'. Don't worry - be happy. Pessimism is lessons learned. Fear HAS its place you know. Look at the world around you - are we where we're at because people were full of false hope or because people weren't afraid to look at the dark lessons of history? Realism, fear and determination are what gets things done. Case closed. The rest is pink-ribbon bullshit.

So long life and having fun are the supreme values to judge how properly we are assessing reality? If that is not his implication, then what he said was redundant, simplistic and utterly useless. "hopeful people are happier and happy people live longer" big wow.