I consider myself a realist in the sense that I “keep it real,” respect and acknowledge reality. Often when I give my views on a topic, many claim I am being pessimistic. But I am not. I am just acknowledging the reality of the topic being discussed. I find people often holding on to overly optimistic views distorts the reality of the situation and they often do so because it makes them feel “good” about the situation rather than just acknowledging the reality of it. But when acknowledging reality, one doesn’t have to hold a preference about it one way or another. Your thoughts?
So essentially what you are saying is, that you call it how you see it, without gilding the Lilly?
Or if as a journalist present the case without Fear or favor.
Nothing wrong with being a realist, just accept that some like their fantasies.
I think most people honestly think of themselves as realists on some level. Their perception is, of course, the “correct” one, otherwise they wouldn’t think that way. So they must be in touch with reality. Even when they consider themselves to be optimists or pessimists, they do so because they feel that it serves them in some practical way one way or another. And if it works, it should be in touch with reality, shouldn’t it?
I had a guy who told me I was an idealist and he was more of a realist. Which, of course means that I’m a dreamer and that he is accurate in his assessment on the way thing are. The way I see it is that I simply had higher expectations than he did at that moment. He’d certainly have shot higher if he thought it was “realistic” for him to do so. So since my goals were above his, I must be dreaming.
Tell a life-long janitor that I expect to make $100k+ in my career and I’m an optimist/idealist, tell a self made millionaire that I aspire to be “head janitor” as the apex of my career and my standards are pitifully low and unrealistic for my potential.
I think most people honestly think of themselves as realists on some level. Their perception is, of course, the “correct” one, otherwise they wouldn’t think that way. So they must be in touch with reality. Even when they consider themselves to be optimists or pessimists, they do so because they feel that it serves them in some practical way one way or another. And if it works, it should be in touch with reality, shouldn’t it?
I had a guy who told me I was an idealist and he was more of a realist. Which, of course means that I’m a dreamer and that he is accurate in his assessment on the way thing are. The way I see it is that I simply had higher expectations than he did at that moment. He’d certainly have shot higher if he thought it was “realistic” for him to do so. So since my goals were above his, I must be dreaming.
Tell a life-long janitor that I expect to make $100k+ in my career and I’m an optimist/idealist, tell a self made millionaire that I aspire to be “head janitor” as the apex of my career and my standards are pitifully low and unrealistic for my potential.
Interesting. So what do you think about people who are so optimistic to think that everything will fix itself. For example, those that are optimistic enough to think that just “praying” will fix the global warming problem. They pray, but take no action other then that. Is that realistic? Or is my perception of course the “wrong” one about thier optimism that simply praying will do the job?
Interesting. So what do you think about people who are so optimistic to think that everything will fix itself. For example, those that are optimistic enough to think that just “praying” will fix the global warming problem. They pray, but take no action other then that. Is that realistic? Or is my perception of course the “wrong” one about thier optimism that simply praying will do the job?
My post wasn’t to point out how your perspective is wrong. Rather, I was pointing out how everyone at least feels that they have justification for what they believe. My personal opinion is that I don’t think that prayer will do much for things like global warming or anything else that tries to change something externally without the use of people’s physical body getting up off their butts and doing something about it.
I’m suggesting that someone who’s “Optimistic” believes on some level that being that way improves their lives or chances of seeing certain results. And if they think it actually affects the outcome in whatever way, then they think that they’re being realistic or pragmatic. So unless the prayer or Optimism makes the individual actually do something, I don’t think they have a prayer.
Yeah, it’s an occupational hazard of being a realist. Even my own wife, when I say some depressing (true) thing, says “Jeez,
do you always have to be such a pessimist?” When I reply “That wasn’t a pessimistic statement. I mean, what I said was true,
wasn’t it?” she responds “Yeah, sure, it’s true, but damn, it’s so freaking sad that it’s true!” And so it goes.
Yeah, it’s an occupational hazard of being a realist. Even my own wife, when I say some depressing (true) thing, says “Jeez,
do you always have to be such a pessimist?” When I reply “That wasn’t a pessimistic statement. I mean, what I said was true,
wasn’t it?” she responds “Yeah, sure, it’s true, but damn, it’s so freaking sad that it’s true!” And so it goes.
I have to agree. My last name begins with “P”, and my first wife, who loved alliteration, referred to what I felt as my realisitic observations, as “Your typical P_____ paranoia.”
I consider myself a realist in the sense that I “keep it real,” respect and acknowledge reality. Often when I give my views on a topic, many claim I am being pessimistic. But I am not. I am just acknowledging the reality of the topic being discussed. I find people often holding on to overly optimistic views distorts the reality of the situation and they often do so because it makes them feel “good” about the situation rather than just acknowledging the reality of it. But when acknowledging reality, one doesn’t have to hold a preference about it one way or another. Your thoughts?
Can you give a specific example. Michael Shermer refers at one point in “why people believe weird things” to believing in this or that (on religious platform I think) as an anxiety reducing tool. And now, looking back I agree with him. And of course if you tell that to any believer they might feel a tremendous insult. So if your realism is in reference to the after death scenario for example if you happen ot be atheist, they might see that as pessimistic since what it does for a believer is knock down their imaginary castle. This is a single scenario. And what applies here might abviously not in other cases.
I have to agree. My last name begins with “P”, and my first wife, who loved alliteration, referred to what I felt as my realisitic observations, as “Your typical P_____ paranoia.”
‘Realists’ - it is a bad name because it implies it it somehow connected to reality.
It is not. It is just a guess like everyone else no matter how much closer to reality it seems.
Realists tend to think the facts today best represent the facts tomorrow.
A few years ago a realist would said it would be ludicrous for a black guy named Obama to be running for president just after Osama was being blamed for 9-11!
But the reality became just that…
There is no knowledge of the future, just the present and that can help or hurt you but you don’t know which it is.
They are all guesses and, if that is true, picking optimistic ones will at least help you in the present feel a bit better.
Realists are pessimistic, not because of the truth of the future, but because they can’t see the good in the present.
Even my own wife, when I say some depressing (true) thing, says “Jeez,
