Are you a pessimistic lemming?- Page 2

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:35am

Thanks DGrant! I like to remain optimistic as well (though I admit, it doesn't always happen), but many others on this site seem to feel it is a sign of weakness or naivete. I do believe you can be an optimistic realist. I'm actually a bit more realistic than people here would proabably assume, but am often dismissed for not acting like a bitch all the time or for conservative views on certain issues. I don't think I'm easy to categorize and I think that is what frustrates people most. I just think, "well then, that's not really my problem, is it?"

And then of course, there are those who just think being mean or bitchy is cool and makes them popular. You'll find loads of them in any Lohan thread. LOL

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:37am

I agree with Namo on this one. A healthy sense of "realism" is the only thing that makes me able to deal with the intense pain that does exist in the world. I do see the beauty love and goodness in the people, I also see the nasty, hateful destructivness of people.

There is no absolute, only subtle shades, and to make our way through them sometimes we use our heart, but often we use our heads.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:37am

hey, i'm a total optimistic realist.

now, do i have to get naked to get the scotch?

[Elphaba]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:38am

whenever I see this line

'I DO believe in the general goodness of human beings ', it reminds me of Anne Frank, as she said something like it in her diary.

I believe that too....I just think sometimes people lose their way. If they are lucky someone helps them back, if not.....well....we've seen what happens. Ans sometimes with the Hitlers, Bushes, and assorted other wackos in power now and then, it's hard to not get sucked into the void.

I am extremely sad today, maybe it's not feeling well, new drugs....who knows. But DG, your post made things a bit better.
That probably sounds trite and stupid, but I mean it

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:39am

Some of us are optimistic that you'll get naked, papa; others are more realistic.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:40am

papa - Yes.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:42am

maybe after you've taken a bit of that "ohio life" off from around your mid section.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:44am

somms, i thought i managed to get all of your hidden cams. obviously i was wrong you 'orrible li'l man.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:49am

I read the word "lemming" and became consumed with having to hear The Police song, "Synchronicity II."

"Packed like lemmings in their shiny metal boxes...."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 11:07am

It was Oliver Wendell Holmes (I think) who said, "Always be a short-term pessimist and a long-term optimist."

[shira467]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 11:23am

I like this thread.

And I do love the person who started it!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:15pm

Yay! Shira found love after all.

[shira467]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:19pm

Ha, in some way, yes.

But that deep love that I watch about in movies? Nah.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:20pm

This thread would have saved me so much grief earlier this week. I literally started crying over this minor problem just because I didn't think I had the stength to deal with it. It was just one of those weeks where I felt like my life was running me instead of me running my life, and I needed someone else to give me a positive outlook because I couldn't find it myself.

[shira467]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:21pm

I'm glad we can hopefully help now, skittle!

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:31pm

Wow... just wow.

I'm usually a very positive individual. I do believe in the basic goodness of people, the beauty of the world, and also realize that there are not so good people out there.

I try to live my life in a positive, healthy way. And it takes a lot of work. And sometimes I lose my way, like I have in the past couple of weeks, become a bit more cynical, jaded. And then, things like, this thread, cross my path, and they help guide me to where I want/need to be.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:34pm

DD - you are indeed a positive individual which often influences my mood! (Same with you Dg.)

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:38pm

Thanks shira. I'm feeling better now, but all this stress in my life just hit me at once. This thread made me realize that everyone can have cynical/pessimistic moods, but I shouldn't let them be in control of my life.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:46pm

Exactly the way I feel, skittles.

You are allowed to feel cynical/pessimistic, just don't dwell on it. And try to move on.

I'm trying...

[shira467]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 12:47pm

It's important to feel and accept love.

<---Hypocrite to the hilt, I realise. But that's no reason why I can't preach to everyone else!

[orion59]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 5:19pm

I believe all the same things that you do, DGrant. However, I don't belive that every moment of every day is positive and wonderful. It's a fact of life that bad things happen and good things happen to us constantly.

In my opinion, adopting a philosophy that all the world is good if you simply choose to see that way, sets epopel up for great disappoinment. The world isn't always good and our daily lives go through a number of twists and turns. Being able to see both the good and the bad and to accept both, I believe, puts you in a better position to deal with the bad when it occurs.

I also have a dislike of the "live in positive energy and the universe will cover you with light and goodness" way of living. It's not realistic. My way of living is that horrible crap happens to everyone, learn to deal with and control it as much as possible. You can't look to the energy of the universe to take care of you. But that's just my way of life. Everyone is different and there are those who consider me a cynic because I refuse to see the world as sunshine, angels, lollipops and rainbows.

You may say I'm a cynic...I say I'm realistic and prepared to be strong enough to deal with whatever happens.

Updated On: 10/7/05 at 05:19 PM

[shira467]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 5:48pm

"But a cynic is just a realist who narrows their focus to the point of exclusion"

Well, that's something to think about tonight!

[hannahshule]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 5:57pm

I'm not pessimistic, but I am a lemming.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 6:58pm

The world isn't always lollipops and rainbows. It just isn't and that's the reality. You can adopt a more positive way of thinking without losing sight of reality.

[Sir Percival Glyde]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 8:58am

through all the ways of our unintelligible world, the trivial and the terrible walk hand in hand together.