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Pessimism vs optimism and ASD

Trainspotter

Hi all

This is a bit of a rant and it is not referring to Pessimism to the extent that it causes great anxiety, but to the pessimistic vs optimistic character.

I am constantly labelled a "Pessimist".  I prefer the term "Realist"  Constantly having people supposedly jolly all the time around me I can find annoying. 

I hate this 'glass half empty' thing.  I have told people when they say I'm the 'half empty' person that it depends whether the glass is being emptied or filled..  Example: Do you want a top up.  Answer: No, my glass is only half empty.  That to me is not being negative.  However, if the glass has just been poured and stopped before it is filled:  Why is my glass  only half full? That to me is a negative.

Imagine a news story: "Good news, there was a very bad train crash today but only five people were killed!"  People would be horrified at the insensitivity of that, yet it is the 'optimistic' point of view as many more could have met their demise.

I'm sure there are 'optimistic' people with ASD as well as pessimistic ones.  But why do people insist on putting labels on people and then using it as criticism.  We are what we are!  Some of us try to consider that there may be a downside to some things instead of 'everything will turn out ok'.  Considering that there may be a downside is surely better than being led down an alley with no thought as to what awaits you at the end. 

My 'pessimism' is me and no amount of negative criticism from optimistic people will stop it or 'cure' it!

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    I'm not sure I'd be so quick to criticise telephone sanitisers: I remember going from an office where everything was cleaned nightly, including the phones, to one where it was cleaned weekly at best and it really was noticeably more grubby.  Curiously, the former office allowed smoking (really!  I guess it was long ago) and the latter didn't but in spite of that it was still scruffier; that said, I remember that thing where airlines banned smoking on planes which meant they could constantly recycle the air so they didn't need to use fuel to heat it and their planes apparently became significantly more unhealthy even though it was touted as a health benefit.

    And wasn't 42 the product of six by nine?  I dunno why, that bit just sticks in my mind, along with the spelling of "libary".

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    I'm not sure I'd be so quick to criticise telephone sanitisers: I remember going from an office where everything was cleaned nightly, including the phones, to one where it was cleaned weekly at best and it really was noticeably more grubby.  Curiously, the former office allowed smoking (really!  I guess it was long ago) and the latter didn't but in spite of that it was still scruffier; that said, I remember that thing where airlines banned smoking on planes which meant they could constantly recycle the air so they didn't need to use fuel to heat it and their planes apparently became significantly more unhealthy even though it was touted as a health benefit.

    And wasn't 42 the product of six by nine?  I dunno why, that bit just sticks in my mind, along with the spelling of "libary".

Children
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