Are you an optimist, a pessimist, a realist, a cynic?

[Amelia G]

I was just watching Ace of Cakes where they were discussing what makes someone an optimist or realist. Years ago, I used to keep an Andew Offutt (so long ago I'm not sure how to spell his name) quote on my wall about how cynicism is a mask on someone who wishes for the very best. Are you an optimist, a pessimist, a realist, a cynic?

[Mindgames]

Yes. I'm optimistic that my pessimism will prove to be founded in reality, and cynical enough to expect it.

[theUnclean]

Yes. I'm optimistic that my pessimism will prove to be founded in reality, and cynical enough to expect it.

i'll second that

[Bikerpunk]

Pessimist.

[Morning Glory]

I don't know, where is the online test to tell me what my personality is?

funny that I was just watching ace of cakes myself tonight. they made a boba fett cake. for the win.

[Amelia G]

I don't know, where is the online test to tell me what my personality is?

funny that I was just watching ace of cakes myself tonight. they made a boba fett cake. for the win.

I was just watching the Macy's one because I already saw the Boba Fett one. That scene with Han Solo in the carbonite prison was one of the most disappointing moments of my childhood.

[Aza]

The following is a short excerpt from one of my most recent blogs:

Pessimists will tell you (and themselves) that because everything ends there’s no use even trying; that they and we should give up entirely. (They even have the audacity to call their philosophy “realism.”) Anyone who says this doesn’t truly believe it, because if they did they’d have already killed themselves. In point of fact, if you ever meet a living pessimist, then they’re not a true pessimist; their fake philosophy is in place to get them attention in the form of either sympathy or sex (because nothing’s more popular these days than playing Captain Emo), or an excuse to sit back and let everyone else change the world for them while they reject personal accountability at every turn. Any of these behaviors still represents an innate hope that their life will improve, if not by their own effort than by someone else’s labor or love. That lingering hope, even in this laziest of forms, is what keeps the modern-day self-titled “pessimist” from truly living up to his or her title. Everyone still alive and coherent believes in hope! If they dare try to tell you they don’t, then hand them the blade and invite them to prove it. (Well... no, better not. A dedicated Emo would sooner take that blade to your throat than admit that you’ve caught them being both a conformist and an attention-whore.)

I’m a realist because I’m not a pessimist. I’ve accepted that I exist if only by happy accident, and I’ve simultaneously managed to accept that this entire existence is nothing more than one giant test of physical, mental and emotional constitution. I’ve been taking it for almost thirty-three years now in this latest physical incarnation of mine (which I’m told could be much much worse), and the questions just keep getting harder. On the other hand, there are physical, mental and emotional rewards spread throughout life if you know where to look for them. Failure is not always failure; the hidden reward of knowledge can allow for improvement on the next attempt. To any artist worth their own weight (which doesn’t say much in my case I guess), experience pays for itself. Knowledge IS power, damn it, so think of me like Johnny 5 from “Short Circuit” - I’ll take all the input I can get. If nothing else, it’ll make one hell of a book or a screenplay someday. Until then, I keep taking this stupid test (which frankly some days has me wondering why I haven’t off’ed myself yet), and the days get worse and the days get better, and there are peaks of glorious joy followed by valleys of murky sewage, and some days all I want is a nice long stretching plane of bland-and-boring just so that I know for a fact there’s no karmic retribution lying in ambush. But I will not quit taking the test, nor lie idle and wait for it to claim me, because while I live, hope exists! Perhaps I’ll be able to infiltrate and control the test itself if I keep at it; the possibilities are limitless! If I bow out or give up, I’ll never really know for sure... and I’ve become rather addicted to knowing stuff.

[keiko]

I'm a full fledged misanthrope. an optimistic misanthrope. i look for the positive in everything and hate myself for it.

~K

[Buster Friendly]

But we love you for hating yourself keiko.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

My brother calls me a pessimist. But what the fuck does that dick know?Just because everything sucks and always will, what makes him an expert on who I am.

I'm actually VERY optimistic in nature. Like for one....I'm pretty sure I will be alive tomorrow morning. Fuckin' A! And hey, if I do die tonight, which might happen and as in every night I believe this is a possibilty, make sure you tell everyone that I was a strong, optimistic person who lit up the world with his enlightenment and grand posture of how wonderful life is, was, and always will be. If you don't, I swear I'll haunt your mutha' fuckin' ass until you also die in the year 2012.

[nathanmbailey]

I'm indifferent. And I'm okay with that.

[VoltaireBlue]

I just exist.

[One Eyed Cat]

Cynical Optimist. A nice paradox.

[Velvet-Tongue]

Optimist 90% of the time. I believe that most people are good if rather selfish and that good things can happen if you work enough.

[bohoki]

i'm a pessimist that way when shit goes bad i feel good about being right and when good stuff happens i'm happy to be wrong

[inox]

I'm an opportunist...

[OliX]

It's not always good to be an optimist. The light at the end of a tunnel may be an oncoming train. - Franz Kafka (I think so)

[Mr Karl]

I'm too busy to ponder things like that.

[Nicotine]

I was going to say realist and then I saw inox's "opportunist" photo and changed my mind.

[soma_stardust]

I'm a full fledged misanthrope. an optimistic misanthrope. i look for the positive in everything and hate myself for it.

~K

with a few doses of pessimism thrown in for balance.
>.<
i think for the most part, i'm existentialist. which i don't really think fits in any of the above categories.
stuff happens, it is what it is.
but i'm optimistic enough to want to believe there's a reason, and pessimistic enough to think the worst is going to happen anyway.

[Abi]

I'm told I'm a cynic. Which I think is pretty accurate, but at the same time, I am cynical about my own cynicism, and to a degree know that I am, in some ways, an optimist.

[Buster Friendly]

optimist, pessimist...

I'm a Satanist.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

optimist, pessimist...

I'm a Satanist.

Some say po-tae-to, some say po-ta-to.

[Morning Glory]

who says po-taw-to? they should be slapped.

[lord_velos]

I'm a totaly cynic!

Sad part is I enjoy it too.

[ROGIZOID]

Strange question for me because i never really though about it.
I look forward to optimistic things.
I think realistically and in turn pessimism comes naturally.
I think too many people live in a fantasy world, so i dont get my hopes up.
When good things happen im always surprised.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

Strange question for me because i never really though about it.
I look forward to optimistic things.
I think realistically and in turn pessimism comes naturally.
I think too many people live in a fantasy world, so i dont get my hopes up.
When good things happen im always surprised.

[JonQ]

I'll take all of that and see what else is out there.

[keiko]

I need to change my vote. I'm a Mysanthropic Cynic. Everything sucks and I hate it all.


Except the kitty store.

~K

[samanthagrace]

I'm optimistic, I manage to see the good in most things and events.