[MB.]

How frequently and to what degree of intensity do your posts vary between optimism and pessimism?

It seems to me that on a "good day" I feel the human race is a force for progress and peace and that despite all the injustice and inequality things will improve, and human intelligence and virtue will prevail in the end. Light and information flows throughout the universe. The good guys win.

On the other hand, on the "bad day" I feel that the war is inevitable and that human greed and injustice are limitless and insurmountable obstacles. Ignorance and stupidity flow throughout the universe. Hopeless solipsism. The bad guys win.

I find myself constantly torn between these two perspectives. Sometimes, as a result of ignorance, I may initially feel that I have no strong feelings about a subject, but when that happens I immediately remember that this is actaully a form of pessimism caused by ignorance that is everywhere. I also may initially feel overly excited about something new or novel. Thinking back to Marcus Aurelius, I immediately remember that there is no novelty, and that this is actaully hope about the human potential I see in my family and friends and around me day to day. The world is full of love and hate.

Is there a formula you follow, or some abstract notion about duality that affects the fashion in which you appreciate information? I know you think about these questions all the time.

[Lensky1917]

I'm not pessimistic; I'm just a sarcastic, ironic, and negative realist.

On the other hand, on the "bad day" I feel that the war is inevitable and that human greed and injustice are limitless and insurmountable obstacles. Ignorance and stupidity flow throughout the universe. Hopeless solipsism. The bad guys win.

So couldn't you just be a bad guy?

Join the winning team.

Thinking back to Marcus Aurelius, I immediately remember that there is no novelty, and that this is actually hope about the human potential I see in my family and friends and around me day to day.

Ah, it sounds like you have nice family and friends.

But you can't choose your family(unless you adopt maybe, and can kids choose you?) sometimes people are born and raised in bad families and environments. And sometimes people choose the wrong friends, or don't have many people willing to accept them. :hmm

I find myself constantly torn between these two perspectives. Sometimes, as a result of ignorance, I may initially feel that I have no strong feelings about a subject, but when that happens I immediately remember that this is actaully a form of pessimism caused by ignorance that is everywhere.

Ah, sweet apathy.

The difference between ignorance and apathy is I don't know and I don't care. You can feel both at the same time, but that does not make them the same thing.

I know you think about these questions all the time.

You give people too much credit.

[Cartertonian]

It seems to me that on a "good day" I feel the human race is a force for progress and peace and that despite all the injustice and inequality things will improve, and human intelligence and virtue will prevail in the end. Light and information flows throughout the universe. The good guys win.

On the other hand, on the "bad day" I feel that the war is inevitable and that human greed and injustice are limitless and insurmountable obstacles. Ignorance and stupidity flow throughout the universe. Hopeless solipsism. The bad guys win.

I can get you some pills for that, MB.



Seriously, I don't think I vacillate between those two polarised positions. Rather, I accept that both extremes exist within the human condition and work towards the former whilst being guarded against the latter,

[Paradigm]

In terms of the future outlook for the world, I'm a perpetual optimist. I'm certainly concerned about things like climate change, war, peak oil, and the growing gap between rich an poor, but I have an abiding faith in the human potential. At the same time, I realize there will be casualties along the way, and I do worry about how that's going to shape up. But in the end, I think we're going to make it.

[The Clockwork Rat]

It tends to vary on how well I've been eating and studying, and how much weed I've been smoking. When I eat poorly, my blood sugar drops and I get grumpy, when I study a lot, I feel clever and want to share that with the world ( ), and when I've been smoking, I'll be more apathetic.

There also seems to be a sweet spot as I'm getting tired which makes me want to blab on and on and on. I don't think I have a particular trend towards optimism or pessimism.