I am an optimist!

[Portia]

This is not a joke thread.

So, I figure I should make some kind of announcement, because this is such a departure from my usual Bigfooty persona that it would probably draw comment, but I've made a personal resolution. I am now an optimist.

For most of my life I've been analytical and negative, and basically a complete downer whenever I've expressed an opinion (not that many people will outright confirm that), and what I've come to realise is that pessimists draw their strength from those that can, and do, carry on regardless. Its easy to think of optimists as deluded and uninformed, and sure, sometimes they are...ok, quite often. But hey, even if they are, they win. Here's a scenario that I can't beat:

Optimist vs Pessimist.
Scenario: Optimist predicts good thing and Pessimist predicts bad thing.

Option A: Good thing happens. Optimist is right and enjoys good thing. Pessimist is wrong and begrudingly enjoys good thing.
Option B: Bad thing happens. Optimist is wrong and adjusts for bad thing. Pessimist is right and wastes time letting everyone know what they should have done differently.

The real winner in each scenario is clearly optimist, right?

Seeing a genuine optimist fall is possibly the most depressing thing in the world, and I have no intent to see that happen again if I can help it. So, I've decided that I am going to be one of these pillars of strength called optimists, and if I stop doing it, I would consider if a great help if anyone here who feels like it would pull me back into line and remind me of this resolution.

What this means to you:
Hopefully this will be a transition that does not cause undue angst and confusion, but this is about what you'll notice in terms of what you read here.

"Thats ok, but when X & Y inevitably happens, we will be completely ****ed!"

Now will be stated as:

"I think thats pretty good, but if we make sure to do something about X & Y, then we can't possibly fail!"


So in summary, here's to finals in 2012, and an improved stadium deal at Adelaide Oval!

-----

TL;DR - I have gone nuts but seem happier for it.

 

[ClintEastwood]

Where is Porthos, and what have you done with him???

This is is loopy brother or something right..... hacking his account?

 

[Changaneen]

I'm an optimist too Porthos. Not like you to be one lol. I've always followed your posts and you have a fantastic knowledge of our club.

If your happy, i'm happy. I'm feeling that the only way is up. I cant wait for season 2012. I'm going to scream my guts out for the boys. I feel in my bones we are not far from finals

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Whatever you are/were on must be good meds.

And it's worth it for all of us just to see a teal smiley face!

 

[morell]

Pffft, this is clearly going to fail.

 

[edgie]

What about realists? Where do they fit in?

 

[Portia]

Pffft, this is clearly going to fail.

[youtube]XdJYrkra0nk[/youtube]

perhaps this optimism
will crash on down
like a house of cards
I know that my decision
to change my life was not that hard

Yeah, thats right, I'm taking life advice from Frente! Hah!


edgie: I think its most pessimists that care about being called realists.

 

[Peck]

Pffft, this is clearly going to fail.

But seriously, if you are serious. Good luck haha. I tend to be optimistic about some things, and pessemistic about others, depending on whether I want to be right or if I want to hmm... do something? Sounds bad but I'm sure you gather my meaning.

Anyway, as long as you are as funny as always I'm happy to see you change your approach to footy

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Have you fallen in love Porthos? New baby? Even complimentary to Keiffy in your profile. Although I see you have Rohde still under surveillance.

 

[Natman]

This is not a joke thread.

So, I figure I should make some kind of announcement, because this is such a departure from my usual Bigfooty persona that it would probably draw comment, but I've made a personal resolution. I am now an optimist.

For most of my life I've been analytical and negative, and basically a complete downer whenever I've expressed an opinion (not that many people will outright confirm that), and what I've come to realise is that pessimists draw their strength from those that can, and do, carry on regardless. Its easy to think of optimists as deluded and uninformed, and sure, sometimes they are...ok, quite often. But hey, even if they are, they win. Here's a scenario that I can't beat:

Optimist vs Pessimist.
Scenario: Optimist predicts good thing and Pessimist predicts bad thing.

Option A: Good thing happens. Optimist is right and enjoys good thing. Pessimist is wrong and begrudingly enjoys good thing.
Option B: Bad thing happens. Optimist is wrong and adjusts for bad thing. Pessimist is right and wastes time letting everyone know what they should have done differently.

The real winner in each scenario is clearly optimist, right?

Seeing a genuine optimist fall is possibly the most depressing thing in the world, and I have no intent to see that happen again if I can help it. So, I've decided that I am going to be one of these pillars of strength called optimists, and if I stop doing it, I would consider if a great help if anyone here who feels like it would pull me back into line and remind me of this resolution.

What this means to you:
Hopefully this will be a transition that does not cause undue angst and confusion, but this is about what you'll notice in terms of what you read here.

"Thats ok, but when X & Y inevitably happens, we will be completely ****ed!"

Now will be stated as:

"I think thats pretty good, but if we make sure to do something about X & Y, then we can't possibly fail!"


So in summary, here's to finals in 2012, and an improved stadium deal at Adelaide Oval!

-----

TL;DR - I have gone nuts but seem happier for it.

I had my suspicions that 2012 brought about a resolution or two - based on the changed avatar.

WRT your opening post, I can't believe it took you so long to realise the opti v pessi argument had only one winner.

 

[Portia]

Natman, in some areas, I am possibly one of the least intelligent people alive. As in, if I wanted to host a drive time radio program about them, 5aa would sign me up like a shot.

REH, no baby or anything like that, I've just (finally) come to the realisation that an optimist is just a pessimist that has made a choice. Pessimism is easy, anyone can do it.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

How does the old phrase go, optimists dream about and see the future, but pessimists are the ones who build it.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

REH, no baby or anything like that, I've just (finally) come to the realisation that an optimist is just a pessimist that has made a choice. Pessimism is easy, anyone can do it.

Correct, anyone can sit back and whinge, its harder to Do Something - as John Kennedy would say. That's why I'm a fan of Teddy Roosevelt.


“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even through checkered failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
Teddy Roosevelt Chicago 10 April 1899 [This is my sign on TPFP]

+

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

 

[Andre]

What about realists? Where do they fit in?

+1. A pessimist looks for the worst, the optimist the best.

A realist tries to see things as they truly are - good and bad. They won't expect everything to turn to shit, but if everything does they also won't expect it to come good without change. I'll take everyone at the club looking at the players, coaches, off field staff and the rest with realism rather than glasses that are rose coloured or whilst holding half-empty glasses.

 

[ClintEastwood]

+1. A pessimist looks for the worst, the optimist the best.

A realist tries to see things as they truly are - good and bad.

I don't agree at all.

There is nothing mutually exclusive about optimism and realism.

One can quite well make efforts to get to the reality of a situation, but at the same time maintain an optimistic outlook and attitude.

 

[Portia]

Oh Andre, that is such 27th of January thinking.

 

[Ebert80]

Can't wait to see Porthos' response when we pick up 3 flanker short people in the next superdraft, thereby overlooking 2 gun key forwards

 

[Natman]

Natman, in some areas, I am possibly one of the least intelligent people alive. As in, if I wanted to host a drive time radio program about them, 5aa would sign me up like a shot.

REH, no baby or anything like that, I've just (finally) come to the realisation that an optimist is just a pessimist that has made a choice. Pessimism is easy, anyone can do it.

All of the people that I have ever met are least intelligent in most areas - we only ever have time to be knowledgeable in few areas or good at a few things - not that there is anything wrong with that - it's just being realistic.

Optimism/realism is really applied to those areas that you can control or where you have knowledge of, or interest in - even the eternal ones are pessimistic about some things in the world.

 

[PowerKat]

welcome!

 

[FishingRick04]

I think both are needed though Portho's.

You look at things indepth and analytically. Now I am an optimist, my wife is a pessimist. She keep me in check. I bounce business ideas and models off her daily. I even get frustrated at her cynical way. But I need her. Otherwise the optimist in me would be out of control.

Much like this board, we need people that view things not so rosey to keep our expectations down. But instead of Pessimism, I would class you as a realist, keep, keeping it real IMO with a positive view

 

[Schulzenfest]

It's all relative. I try to be a realist, but most on the Port board think I'm a pessimist. Yet if I were to post the exact same opinions on a neutral board that get me called a pessimist here, most would probably think I was being an optimist. Still, if it works for you then good luck

But seriously, if you are serious. Good luck haha. I tend to be optimistic about some things, and pessemistic about others, depending on whether I want to be right or if I want to hmm... do something?

I call bullshit, I don't think I've seen you post one pessimistic thing ever

 

[Peck]

Maybe I'm just as deluded about my ability to be pessimistic as I am about Port Adelaide *shrug*

Either way, with me I usually stay optimistic about things that I'm interested in or want to work out, while if I don't care I can be pessimistic - although my girlfriends driving seems to be some kind of outlier.

 

[edgie]

I'm a realist about footy but a pessimist everywhere else. The downside is, like tonight, it gets awfully depressing to be right all the time. But at least I'm right, if nothing else, while others like my friends constantly whine on facebook on how unfair people and life are.