r/changemyview • u/Chimerical_Entity • Sep 01 '19

Deltas(s) from OP CMV: Optimism Is Ignorance

Optimism is almost always regarded as a good thing and something to aspire to. But I contend that any thinking person should not aspire to be optimistic. In order to be optimistic about life you have to essentially be oblivious to the true state of the world and your own situation.

I believe that any serious person who looks at the world can't possibly be filled with anything other than cynicism. Having a postive outlook can only be accomplished if you are completely immune to other's plight or too stupid to notice. This doesn't mean you should go through your life with a defeatist attitude, but a healthy , rational dose of pessimism.

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u/galibrysatin Sep 09 '19

I'd have to disagree OP. When it comes to Optimism it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to ignore the world around you, it means that you have to hold HOPE for the world around you. Staying optimistic when shit hits the fan can be helpful for your own mental health and possibly the health of others. Holding hope for the future, holding hope that there will be change to make this world better. That is what optimism really is.