NationStates Jolt Archive

Two completely different manners of thinking that control our entire state of mind. Just out of curiousity I want to know the following...



Which one are you?

What are the benifits of being a cynical bastard or an ebullient free spirit?

What led you to feel this way?

Do you recognize the benifits of the opposing side or is it just illogical?

Angel on right shoulder: The cup is half-full, Tom...

Devil on left shoulder: Don't listen to that self-righteous prick! Your life sucks, your choices all end in negative results, and the cup is definitely half-empty.

Angel: Get thee away from us, pessimistic imp. Thy glass is half-full, Good Tom.

Devil: F you both! You bastards! You suck!

Neither? My expectations result from my assessments of each individual situation, not from some predispositon to always expecting the best or worst, or trying to see the best or worst in anything.

The glass is at 50% capacity.

I prefer to consider myself a realist. A friend at the bar asked whether I thought his glass was half full or half empty and I asked him why the hell he hasn't finish his beer yet.

Who cares how full the cup is anyways? I mean, if you're thirsty, just drink it.

I'm a bit of both. I tend to be optimistic when talking to my friends ('of course things will work out, they always do.') but when referring to myself I tend to be a realist (*cough*pessismistic*cough*).

I tend to be optimistic when talking to my friends ('of course things will work out, they always do.') but when referring to myself I tend to be a realist (*cough*pessismistic*cough*).

Yeah, I'm not going to tell my friends that their personal disaster is going to haunt them for life, so I'm very optimistic around friends, which is why they're confused when I call myself a pessimist occasionally. I like to be cynical, but if things start going well for me, I'm bound to get my hopes up and start looking on the brighter side.

I've been called (by people of differing beliefs) the following:

Optimistic

Idealistic

Pessimistic

Rational

Logical

Illogical

Sane

Insane

So. Yeah. I guess it depends on perspective. To me? Personally? I'd label myself an optimistic idealist. I realise that shit happens and that there are times when you can't keep it from hitting the fan, but I also believe that said shit can be cleaned up, and you can perhaps learn from where you fell into it. And since I'm a Christian (fundamentalist, not extremist--very different, contrary to what some may believe), I've accepted God's word and promise to one day return, making all things new and pure again. So while shit will only get deeper, there will be one day where no one is constipated anymore. :D

Yay for lack of excretement, ne?

EDIT: As far as the glass goes, it's half full. It might become more empty along the way (what with spills and evaporation), but some day, Someone will come and fill it to overflowing. :)

I'm a cynical optimist. I see things for what they are, but I always believe things can be improved.

I like to be cynical, but if things start going well for me, I'm bound to get my hopes up and start looking on the brighter side.

Well, yeah, but there's always that nagging feeling that something crappy is going to come along.

It always does.

Neither? My expectations result from my assessments of each individual situation, not from some predispositon to always expecting the best or worst, or trying to see the best or worst in anything.

The glass is at 50% capacity.
The glass is completely full. Half full of water, half full of air. :)

The glass is half-full of poison.

Which one are you?

What are the benifits of being a cynical bastard?

What led you to feel this way?

Do you recognize the benifits of the opposing side or is it just illogical?


I can point out things that just won't work

someone else drank the other half of my glass :mad:

it's illogical nonsense that just ends up making things worse

(but I always think I’m an idealist "the glass should be full")

The glass is completely full. Half full of water, half full of air. :)
Wise observation!!

*Hands basket of cookies*

My glass is broken into shards on the floor sitting in a puddle of who-knows-how-much water. :D

The glass is half-full of poison.
Optimist drowns in half-full tub.

I like to think of myself as an optimist, things can always get better and they should. Mankind should in general be moving forward which we are, and despite all the wars and tryanny in the world today. Things were much worse at almost any point in history.

For half of my life I was cynical and pessimistic, everything sucked but I didn't try to gloss it over, when it sucked I didn't think or say it was good. After a while of being depressed and developing my own sophistry I just let in the possibility that things can and will get better. I have never felt better since.

To me no belief is illogical, the very concept of thinking, creating, and speaking is logical despite what the words mean. There is a point to everything even if it's trying to make no point at all.

Which one are you?
I am an eternal optimist. Even when my "mental state" is quite low, there is always a bright side to find.

What are the benifits of being a cynical bastard or an ebullient free spirit?
I wouldn't know. However, both pessimism and optimism have benefits, and the person with a healthy mix of them is a person with an even keel.

What led you to feel this way?
I think of it as my spiritual nature. I've always seen the good.

Do you recognize the benifits of the opposing side or is it just illogical?
I do. I have a few pessimists in my life, and we balance each other.

im not a pessimist but i am a sceptic and a cynic.
these two properties tend to cause my friend to view my observations as pessimistic, but thats just on the outside, im not realy a gloomy bastard :p

The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fear this is true.

I'm a cynical optimist. I see things for what they are, but I always believe things can be improved.
Same here.

Which one are you?
Pessimist. Cynical-dating estimates that I am 7000 years old.

What are the benifits of being a cynical bastard or an ebullient free spirit?
There are none.

What led you to feel this way?
I'm a grumpy, depressed teenager who is too is too smart for his own good. Seriously. GCSE result's are not attractive to women. :(

Do you recognize the benifits of the opposing side or is it just illogical?
I'd love to be optimistic, but I just never am. Unless I'm drunk.

Perhaps I just need a fluffle to get me through the morning :fluffle:

a pessimist is just an optimist...with more information.

Perhaps I just need a fluffle to get me through the morning :fluffle:

dont we all need a fluffle to get us through the morning :D

Always plan for, and expect, the worst. Bad things don't seem so bad when you see them coming, and it makes the good things so much better ;)

Also, what's wrong with assuming people are generally motivated by self-interest? They are.
Cynicism != Pessimism, anyway.

a pessimist is just an optimist...with more information.
LOL

I've heard that pessimists were married optimists :eek: