Irrational Pessimism
This has nothing to do with education (other than the diminished capacity for paying for it) but the phrase “irrational pessimism” was too good not to take note of. In recent years I’ve made a concerted effort to be a less sarcastic and a more cheerfully optimistic girl, mostly because I feel like I should grow the hell up.
It’s gone mostly well, but sometimes my morbid sense of humor or my cynical side comes out. Today when I was reading the CS Monitor the concept of irrational pessimism brought to mind an entire nation of cranky, pessimistic grouches wandering around, bitching and moaning about the nasty, brutish shortness of life and it cracked me up. Perhaps that’s funny only to me…
Posted by Alexa Harrington
photo credit: noppadol paothong
I fear I did not find it that amusing but it did get me onto “irrational realism”, in the sense that some synthesis of pessimism and optimism is realism, and that struck me as rather funny.
I should also offer up the characterization of a dissertation research project as an “infinite microcosm”.
And you have given me a new insight into Hobbes and Rousseau, for which I am grateful as well as thankful.
Yes, it makes a certain amount of sense that the midline folks are the more realistic among us. Middle-of-the-road though they are, it’s funny that I, at least, have rarely come across one of these sorts. Everyone seems to veer toward half-empty or half-full; it’s difficult to find someone with an accurate grasp of the situation at hand.
I think characterizing dissertation research projects as “infinite microcosms” is perfect and amusing (although, the researching individuals caught up in their own infinite microcosms may not find it at all funny).
As far as the Hobbes and Rousseau bit, whenever I’m cranky about life in modern times, I remind myself that life in the state of nature would be a whole lot worse. Probably.