A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People who know me well say, I'm pessimistic (Well, some say that I'm realistic; I take this oppurtunity to say that I'm not). Of course, I'm. I know that I'm pessimistic. But, they say that as if it's a disease or as if I've gone mad. This question of mine is to all the 'so-called' optimists and who call themselves optimists.
First, allow me to define the terms clearly:
Optimism - The feeling or hope that all is going to turn out well.
Pessimism - A dispostion to take the least hopeful view of a situation (OR) To look on the 'dark' side and to expect the worst in all the things.
Going by what I've mentioned above, I belive that by being pessimistic, it's more likely to become the perfect person ('super-human', in Nietzsche words) because you hope the worst and look at the 'dark' side always. If you look at Nietzsche's works, they have a pessimistic view of things and his ever-concerned attempt to always become perfect. But, very few people get that.
Come to think of it, a fundamental point of every religion (at least, the ones which I have some knowledge about) in this world is pessimistic; Be it Hinduism, be it Buddhism or Jainism, be it Christianity or Islam. Hindus, Buddhists and Jains view life as a suffering and they want to escape from the circle of 'life and death'. Christians and Muslims - they are 'suffering' because of the 'Original Sin', committed NOT by them but by their ancestor (Adam). You must either believe in any of the religion or you must not. If 'you' people are so religious and you believe in your respective religions, you're pessimistic too. You don't think you are yet. That's all. There was one religion named, Hasidism which is based on the point, "Every individual is different and every one is here for a purpose ... blah blah blah ..." and what happened??!! Is it in this world now? The people thought - That's It !!! - It's bullshit. And that's the reason, it (Hasidism) is no more than a fossil now. If you are a 'kafir', and your are looking at me as if I've got a disease or as if I'm an asylum-material, it just proves another point which I might've mentioned it for about a million times - YOU are a hypocrite.
Just for the record, I don't want you to be pessimistic. It comes with a heavy price. There is no concept of hope then. And that might really screw up anyone (which might be evident in my case). Just understand that it's just a matter of perspective. It's up to you which one to choose.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People who know me well say, I'm pessimistic (Well, some say that I'm realistic; I take this oppurtunity to say that I'm not). Of course, I'm. I know that I'm pessimistic. But, they say that as if it's a disease or as if I've gone mad. This question of mine is to all the 'so-called' optimists and who call themselves optimists.
"What's wrong in being pessimistic?"
First, allow me to define the terms clearly:
Optimism - The feeling or hope that all is going to turn out well.
Pessimism - A dispostion to take the least hopeful view of a situation (OR) To look on the 'dark' side and to expect the worst in all the things.
Going by what I've mentioned above, I belive that by being pessimistic, it's more likely to become the perfect person ('super-human', in Nietzsche words) because you hope the worst and look at the 'dark' side always. If you look at Nietzsche's works, they have a pessimistic view of things and his ever-concerned attempt to always become perfect. But, very few people get that.
Come to think of it, a fundamental point of every religion (at least, the ones which I have some knowledge about) in this world is pessimistic; Be it Hinduism, be it Buddhism or Jainism, be it Christianity or Islam. Hindus, Buddhists and Jains view life as a suffering and they want to escape from the circle of 'life and death'. Christians and Muslims - they are 'suffering' because of the 'Original Sin', committed NOT by them but by their ancestor (Adam). You must either believe in any of the religion or you must not. If 'you' people are so religious and you believe in your respective religions, you're pessimistic too. You don't think you are yet. That's all. There was one religion named, Hasidism which is based on the point, "Every individual is different and every one is here for a purpose ... blah blah blah ..." and what happened??!! Is it in this world now? The people thought - That's It !!! - It's bullshit. And that's the reason, it (Hasidism) is no more than a fossil now. If you are a 'kafir', and your are looking at me as if I've got a disease or as if I'm an asylum-material, it just proves another point which I might've mentioned it for about a million times - YOU are a hypocrite.
Just for the record, I don't want you to be pessimistic. It comes with a heavy price. There is no concept of hope then. And that might really screw up anyone (which might be evident in my case). Just understand that it's just a matter of perspective. It's up to you which one to choose.
well maybe there is nothing bad in looking at the worst side of things, but thinking about only the bad side and getting scared or depressed may not be the right approach.
ReplyDeleteaa snakey gaadi tho undi undi, prathi daaniki navvadam alavaatu ayindhi. the first reaction to whenever i got screwed would be a hearty laugh :) and i'd predict things r gonna get far worse(be pessimistic) and laugh again(like taraka used to chuckle saying 'mee SEN project d'poyindhi...hohoho...hohoho').
ReplyDeletebaaga raasavu. The only reason i think that people advocate us to be optimistic is that we are all inherently pessimistic. For people who cant handle this truth, there are some potions of 'fake optimism/positivity' given by these soothsayers(so that they have some peace of mind).
I agree with srikanth. my view of optimism is just a hope tht good will turn out...but its not like thinking only good things will happen, its just a hope tht it might happen to make yourself feel better...i am not sure whether i am putting my idea in right words...here is an example, while watching cricket(India match of course), even though its almost end of the match and it is not going very well, i prefer having a hope tht it might turn arnd(which happens sometimes), tht is why i watch it till the end
ReplyDeleteI am not saying thinking abt the dark side is wrong...i am just saying tht u must think of all the sides and be prepared for everything, having a hope tht good things will happen will not stop u from thinking abt the negative possiblities
@Srikanth :
ReplyDeleterightly said ...
@ Abhay :
ReplyDeleteI think that people who first laugh when they get screwed are the most re-active ones. But, they try to shield it by laughing outside, but, what actually happens on the inside is that they feel vulnerable.
and thanks for ur input
@ pOtti (not okkadu) :
ReplyDeleteNO COMMENTS. I know how this discussion goes between us on this topic ... so, I'm not going to start that shit again :)
the problem with reading your blog is that i have to read it, re-read it, and read it again a few more times and also give it a deep serious thought all along to get the point u are making... and right now am reading it just the second time...
ReplyDeleteso u gotta wait until i make sense of ur post... alrite??
and also wanted to say... keep writing... after a few more regular posts, u will develop a more fluid and original style... which is very important btw... right now it seems a bit raw... the content(awesome) deserves a much better treatment... if u know what i mean...
@ pavan :
ReplyDeleteHmmm ... thanks. content clear leda ??? :( .... I thought i was clear. aithe chaala improve chesukovaali.
ok abbai...discussion voddu...just answer this one question, why cant one think of the dark possibilities of any aspect and still hope for the bright side to happen...its not like i m not ready to accept the reality, in the eg prev mentioned, thr is nothing wrong to hope for the win till the end of the match(recent t-20 matched r a good eg).
ReplyDeletewhen thr is a chance of two things happening, why only think the dark side will happen, just to be ready for it?
things can go anyway...u cannot predict tht. just hope for the good and be ready for anything...u can enjoy it if it turns out good and u r not going to enjoy if it turns the other way even if u hope it wud
saapaatu etuu ledu
ReplyDeletepaataina paadu brother
.......................
swatantra desam lo chaavu kuda
pelli laantide brother.... :-)
@pOtti :
ReplyDeleterey !!! let's say you are 'optimistic' about india winning and india loses. Then obviously, you feel depressed. But if you're pessimistic about that, if india loses, therez no problem because you were hoping the worst and it happened; if it wins, you'll be happy that india won. So, being pessimistic is better than being optimistic.
@ sam :
ReplyDeletelol ... but, that happens only in films
am happy that finally pessimist like us has someone who feels quite optimistic about being a pessimist and who fights for our cause :P
ReplyDeletekaani, naadhi kooda same feeling raa bongu.. anduke nenu laast over choodaledhu (nizam) :D
if you are pessimistic you are sort alienating yourself from the joy of the output. so, if it turns out bad, since u already expected it, u would smile and say "huh! i expected it". If it turns out good, u'll say "hmmm.. that's good"
so we have nothing to cry or rant over at the end and what else do u need in life when nothing can make u sad. To say in religious terms, we are in some sort of "close to moksha" state
!!! PESSIMISM RUUUUUUUUUULES !!!
@ potu : YEAH !!! i agree ... but, emo babu, moksham gurinchi teliyadu.
ReplyDeletemee ayya...malli ade antaru...i said i will be sad if India loses irrespective of whether i am optimistic or pessimistic...by being optimistic, i am able to enjoy the excitement till the end(or to say, for a greater time than u pessimists)
ReplyDeletesarle...ee argument will be going on like this only and it seems to me tht whtever we say, it is not going to change any of our opinions...light teesukundam...
@potu
"pessimist like us has someone who feels quite optimistic about being a pessimist"
KUMMESINDI QUOTE!!!:D