Optimism VS.  Pessimism

            For as long as there have been people, there have been optimists (people who always think positively) and pessimists (people who always think negatively).  Sense that time the two groups have always argued about which way of living is better. Both sides have their reasoning, and both sides have their facts, but neither can ever agree with the other making a mid-point between the two almost impossible. This paper shall lie out the details of each, and let the choice be made by whoever reads it.

                Optimism is the up-beat approach to life, as far as outlooks go. To be an optimist you must always see the positive side of just about everything, even the bad things. This requires a very sunny disposition to be able to look on the bright side of things all the time. One of the negative sides of optimism is that extremely bad news can have a more damaging affect on a person then if they were a pessimist. Some pessimists also believe that by being positive all the time you become more desensitized to happiness in a way, making it so that you can only achieve a certain level of happiness. This would make even the most joyous events less fun and cheerful. Optimists greatest belief in their outlook it that it is a much more healthy way of living, and lessens stress on people. Adversely, some pessimists think that this is an extreme way of bottling up stress, which sooner or later will catch up with the person.  All in all optimism, and the people who believe in it, are much like one of their favorite sayings, which is “ every cloud has its silver lining.”

                Pessimism is the less up-beat approach to life, as outlooks go of coarse. To be a pessimist is to call a spade a spade. What is perceived as bad is labeled as such, and what is good is labeled the same way. In the world of pessimism clouds are just clouds, and have no lining of any sort. Most of the time, a person who considers themselves a pessimist is always negative. This means that they will always believe that the worst can and will happen in any case. Optimists claim this to be a poor way of living, because they believe that it causes too much stress on the person. In retaliation of this comment, most negative people say that optimism encourages people to create a dream world of happiness around them, so to speak. Either way this argument about the different outlook’s affect on stress levels in people is the most debated of all. In the end, negative people believe that calling things the way they are is more real than optimism. Contrary to the belief that optimists may become desensitized to happiness, it is said that pessimists are unfazed to negative events. This is actually good though because it will allow a person to brush of a bad event quickly. All in all pessimism, and the people who believe in it are very much like one of their preferred sayings, which is “think and be prepared for the worst.”

                In conclusion the fight over which is better, optimism or pessimism, has been going on sense people have, most likely, been roaming the planet. Both arguments have strong cases, and neither is to be taken lightly. As well both have their setbacks, for neither one is perfect. Could there possibly be an alternative to these two options? Could there be an outlook that utilizes the good in both theories, without having the inherent setbacks of either?  Possibly, but for now we are stuck with the two we already have. Now with the facts laid out you can make your own decision. Which will it be?