Optimist, Pessimist or Nihilist, and why?

[Daystar Clarion]

I'm a realist, and i don't give a shit how you try to label me otherwise.

Life is "Nasty, brutish and short". Get used to it. Humanity exists purely to exercise pleasures of the flesh, then become wormfood. We aren't built for some sort of divine purpose. No-one does something for nothing. To think otherwise is naive.

Yeah, you might get the odd one or two individuals who are the exception to the rule. But the rest of humanity? They couldn't give a flying fuck about you or any charity case. People will play anyone like a fiddle to further their own goals. The optimist doesn't want to see that, instead filling fairy-tale ideals of humanity's "better nature" to disguise our more primal behaviour.

"I am a cynic; therefore, i am never disappointed."

That's strange, because my life hasn't been 'nasty or brutish'.

I know you probably don't intend this, but every time I read something like this, I imagine some angsty young adult who hasn't experienced anything truly amazing and is jaded, depsite being so young.

Again, you're probably not what I'm describing, but I find it hard to take anyone seriously who has this stance on life.

Edit: Yup, just checked your profile. Born in 1990. That's hilarious.

 

[Nuuu]

Not sure, i might be both at times... maybe a Realist... what?

When i'm asked if a cup is half full or half empty, i say "depends on if you're filling it or emptying it." If half-a-cup of water just magically appeared out of nowhere, i say, "neither, it's just half-a-cup of water."

 

[Gralian]

That's strange, because my life hasn't been 'nasty or brutish'.

I know you probably don't intend this, but every time I read something like this, I imagine some angsty young adult who hasn't experienced anything truly amazing and is jaded, depsite being so young.

Again, you're probably not what I'm describing, but I find it hard to take anyone seriously who has this stance on life.

That's funny, because i find it hard to take anyone seriously who has a fluffy happy image of life.

I don't know if being 21 classifies as being an "angsty young adult", but if it is, i don't particularly care; it doesn't change my stance on life and the state of nature.

If you've ever had someone stab you in the back, or a lover hurt you, that would classify as being "nasty and brutish". Just wait until you're in your ~40's and working in an office environment. There's more treachery and charismatic backstabbing than a Roman forum. Frankly, the brutal social hierarchy young teenagers are forcibly introduced to during their school life is a pretty good example of that "nasty and brutish" life that awaits them. It doesn't go away. That hierarchy is present in all aspects of life, whether social or professional.

You may see people like me to be jaded and without some sort of earth-shattering experience that makes us gain faith in people that makes us optimistic, but i see such optimists as living in the clouds. They don't want to face up to the harsh nature of humanity. They refuse to acknowledge that life isn't like Saturday morning television would have you believe.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

That's strange, because my life hasn't been 'nasty or brutish'.

I know you probably don't intend this, but every time I read something like this, I imagine some angsty young adult who hasn't experienced anything truly amazing and is jaded, depsite being so young.

Again, you're probably not what I'm describing, but I find it hard to take anyone seriously who has this stance on life.

That's funny, because i find it hard to take anyone seriously who has a fluffy happy image of life.

I don't know if being 21 classifies as being an "angsty young adult", but if it is, i don't particularly care; it doesn't change my stance on life and the state of nature.

If you've ever had someone stab you in the back, or a lover hurt you, that would classify as being "nasty and brutish". Just wait until you're in your ~40's and working in an office environment. There's more treachery and charismatic backstabbing than a Roman forum. Frankly, the brutal social hierarchy young teenagers are forcibly introduced to during their school life is a pretty good example of that "nasty and brutish" life that awaits them. It doesn't go away. That hierarchy is present in all aspects of life, whether social or professional.

You may see people like me to be jaded and without some sort of earth-shattering experience that makes us gain faith in people that makes us optimistic, but i see such optimists as living in the clouds. They don't want to face up to the harsh nature of humanity. They refuse to acknowledge that life isn't like Saturday morning television would have you believe.

You're right. All those things suck, but it doesn't make life any less worth living.

It makes the great things in life all the more sweeter. When you meet the love of your life, have your first child, play Skyrim, finally get that piece of equipment you've spent hours grinding for.

If you concentrate only what makes life shit, then of course that's the only thing you'll notice.

 

[newwiseman]

Where is the nihilist option?

I'm optimistic in my endeavors, pessimistic of yours. A realist in my dreams, and a fatalist in the face of betrayal.

In short my philosophy is that the human condition is subject to change based on the scenario that the subject is participating in. When life is good, everything is good; When you find out your girlfriend of four years is pregnant with someone else's kid, understandably you can hate the world and everyone in it.

The best I hope for is brief moments of contentment to break up the monotony of my wasted youth, all the while searching for things to waste away with until my years run out and I die.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

pessimist here and it is shit.
or maybe its because i'm paranoid i will get betrayed.
or maybe because the voices tell me that.
or maybe the voices are my paranoia.
or maybe theyre just pessimistic alter egos.

 

[Togs]

Optimist who occasionally slips into pessimism during a bad day.

 

[Xaio30]

Realist. It's half-a-glass of water.

 

[Gralian]

You're right. All those things suck, but it doesn't make life any less worth living.

It makes the great things in life all the more sweeter. When you meet the love of your life, have your first child, play Skyrim, finally get that piece of equipment you've spent hours grinding for.

If you concentrate only what makes life shit, then of course that's the only thing you'll notice.

Oh, no, no. You misunderstand me. I don't believe that everything about life is shit including the rare positives. I very much celebrate the moments and rare occasions that bring joy to people. I believe in love and i know there are times people do things purely from the bottom of their heart.

But as a realist, it is my belief that that is the exception, rather than the rule.

I believe such rare moments should absolutely be treasured. That first kiss with the girl of your dreams, or a story of a young man saving a family from a burning building. These are the things that are inspirational and move people.

But the sad fact of the matter is that these things do not occur everyday. These things only occur in exceptional circumstances, and that you should always prepare for the worst. Murphy's Law is a pretty lofty concept, but if you anticipate it, you won't be surprised when it does kick in.

Realistically, while we may have the one or two exceptional cases that break he mould, the general public - and humanity in general - is simply not altruistic and individuals will only seek to further their own gain given the chance, though we should recognise the rare moments where this is not the case. That's how i view life.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I'm... I honestly don't know. I am, innately, pessimistic, because life (note, life, not people) has generally been rather shit to me. For all that people have been good to me, or at least tried to be, a shit invariably hit the fan. I have many things that I have reason to live for, and yet I cannot find it within me to be happy.

Perhaps I am merely devoid of an attitude of outlook.

 

[maddness666]

I'm an optimist. Things are shit. Things will get worse.

I have faith that at some point in spacetime, things will be less shit, and things will get better.

 

[MarcusD357]

I guess I'm essentially a Fatalist but I believe that if you do jack all in your lifetime then its true so it's you're job to make sure that your life has meaning and that you fit in as much awesome stuff before the inevitable day

 

[Jack O'Shea]

i'm a pessimist. i'm not depressed or think the whole world is evil, i just prefer to think of the negative outcomes of a situation because i would like to see them coming.
to be surprised by a positive situation is a wonderful feeling but being surprised by a negative situation is always bad.
to see the negative outcomes of a situation allows you to plan ahead and work arround them to maximise the good.
to be an optimist i find is setting your self up for disappointment as nothing will ever turn out perfect, like a person telling you a movie is great over and over again and when you finally watch it, it couldn't possibly live up to the hype.
i think everyone is a realist as unless your living in a world of your imagination you have to think about real outcomes and how they will effect you, whether you are an optimist or a pessimist you have to think about the real world.
i feel really sorry for anyone whos a fatalist, whatever has happened to you make you feel like that is horrible.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I am ultimately an optimist.

But being a pure optimist is illogical. So I am pessimistic, and looking to become optimistic.

In other words. I think the negative should be the default action. Positive can be easy or difficult to culminate. But it must start at the negative.

 

[Phlakes]

Yes, I really am a realist. Mostly. I try to keep an unbiased, objective outlook on fate and life and everything, but naturally that's impossible.

For example, I really, really suck at the whole relationship thing, and I won't lie to myself and say I don't, but I don't think that I'll never improve.

It's like agnosticism. Open to all the options. And if you think it's just being indecisive, it's not like everyone has to choose one option. Same thing with realism. Of course no one is right there in the middle, but we don't have to go all the way to one side.

Anyway, a lot of life is shit, but there's more than enough bacon (or your favorite non-bacon food if you're vegan or don't like bacon) to spread around. If you're eating a bucket of shit and bacon, there's nothing absolutely forcing you to eat the shit. But some people do anyway, usually because they think there's no other choice.

 

[Rawne1980]

Optimist.

No matter hw much of a dick I sound and act i'm generally always happy and see a good side to everything.

 

[Blue2]

I can see and understand both sides good and bad but I'm mostly Optimist during unforeseen events.

 

[Doclector]

I'm an optimistic pessimist.

The world's a s***hole, and people are generally worse, but we CAN change that.

 

[CJ1145]

Optimistic Fatalist. I'm going to die, but I'll probably take some of you bastards with me.


In reality, Optimist. People are inherently good/have a desire to be good, and as bad as things are I believe they are getting better.

 

[motyr]

I consider myself an optimist. I agree that there's no such thing as a true "realist," complete objectivity is impossible because we as humans perceive the world subjectively. Humans will never perceive the world independent of their own sensory and temporal "filters." Sometimes, I find I have frightening bouts of pessimism and/or fatalism, but such is the nature of angst or nervousness in general, something we all experience.