Pessimism vs optimism and ASD

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
  • NAS22687 said:

    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".

    Yes it was 6x9, but that is quite close to 8x7! I knew it was something like that.  Strangely enough, in base 13, 42 is equal to 6x9, but Douglas Adams apparently did not realise this!

    Mispronunciation of words, there are also words like 'Chimney' which I want to pronounce Chimbley, and other ones which I find difficult like phenomenom.  Library I tend to say Libry (with a long 'i').  Add to this dialect words and it is a wonder we manage to understand anything, although I love a lot of dialect words and the 'song' of regional accents.

Reply
  • NAS22687 said:

    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".

    Yes it was 6x9, but that is quite close to 8x7! I knew it was something like that.  Strangely enough, in base 13, 42 is equal to 6x9, but Douglas Adams apparently did not realise this!

    Mispronunciation of words, there are also words like 'Chimney' which I want to pronounce Chimbley, and other ones which I find difficult like phenomenom.  Library I tend to say Libry (with a long 'i').  Add to this dialect words and it is a wonder we manage to understand anything, although I love a lot of dialect words and the 'song' of regional accents.

Children
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