Overrated Optimism: The Peril of Positive Thinking
The threats that we face, individually and collectively, won't be solved by wishful thinking, but by a clear-eyed commitment to taking action in the world Full Story »
Posted by Jo Bobenhouse SmithReview
A cutting from a book rather than a news story. But finally! Someone who understands the great value of realism! The enormous point of this excerpt is that the opposite of optimism is not necessarily pessimism. Furthermore, realistic assessment—no matter how negative and uncomfortable it seems—is an antidote to rushing headlong into the morass. It’s also called “judgment.” The danger of seeing “challenges” through optimistic glasses that it glosses over everything, making consequential seem inconsequential.
This article is a healthy dose of vinegar counteracting all that sweetness we’re drowning in.