Brutal optimism, while often a highly valued trait is considered an excellent way to live ones life. I would argue to the exact opposite. Pessimism, defined by myself as a lack of faith in absolutely everything, is a beautiful thing.
Take, for example, my most recent AP Exam. Sorting through every single test I took in that class I never got higher than a ‘C’. In most cases I found myself at the ‘just barely an F’ level. I walked into the test expecting full well to get rubberstamped onto a ‘2’ (AP grading scale: 1 being worst qualified, 3 being passing, and 5 being well qualified). Cold hard pessimism. I walk out thinking that I actually passed. I felt so much happier than I ever could have. And I do, and I did.
Let’s for example use the same scale. If you go in expecting a 1 and get a 3 you are going to be ecstatic – this would be pessimism. If you go in expecting a 4 and get a 3, you are going to be pissed –this would be optimism. My working definition of optimism is asking to get shit on.
Let us be honest, let us be reasonable, and let us be pessimistic. I thought I would never learn to spell pessimism, but by the end of this I have. Were I an optimist I would seek to master spelling it, not master it as much as I hoped and I would get pissed. Welcome to the jungle.
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