viewpoints

Pessimism is often viewed as a negative trait. While that is understandable, some people  think pessimism is similarly aligned with realism. The two words have diverse definitions.

In a dictionary online the defintion of realism is, “The tendency to veiw or represent things as how they really are.”  The definition for pessimism is, “The tendency to see or aniticpate only bad or undesrible outcomes.”

In a chaotic society where someone doesn’t know if he or she will have  a job the next day, or lost a great deal of money in the stock market fisaco, the inclination is to view the two words in the same vein.

In my views I lean toward realism. Very rarely am I a pessimist or an idealist.  An idealist, according to the same online dictionary is, “A visionary or impratical person.”

A pessimist sees everything in a negative manner and an idealist sees all
scenarios as though everything will be fine. The realistic approach sees something as it is. A good definition of reality? Reality means what is and not what ought to be. “That person at my job ought to work harder.” Well, he or she should, but there are not. That is reality and that is realism. A pessimist might conclude the answer was pessimist in nature. I can see how someone might think there is a link between pessimism and realism. I think there is a fine line between the two, but I never cross the threshold.

An idealist person is unrealistic, a realistic person sees things how they really are and pessimism looks at things negatively. The three words encompass a broad spectrum of human thought. Which one are you?