Rockism 101 discussion

My biggest pet peave is with people who are continually stuck in this loop of "Woe is me - the world sucks, so why should I even try?!?"

I think being skeptical and pragmatic are very important qualities - and it promotes a very healthy outlook. But fuck, that is far different from having a constant cynical/pessimistic view of the world that colors your judgements on every fucking issue.

Where does being down on the world get you? I mean what is the point? Do people think that having low expectations of mankind shields them from disappointment?

Maybe it does, but is that really living? When you are not only expecting the worse in everything and everyone, but you are actully LOOKING for the worse in everything and everyone?

Fuck that - I don't need that bullshit!

I think I need to go beat the shit out of some emo kid now, just to get this grief out of my system!

I know you are referring to the world in general, not just the internet world, but I quit conversing in another forum recently because it was far too depressing. Average Americans whining about first world problems is annoying to me. I know that in America there are still many problems and not everyone lives the high life, but there are some huge problems out there in the world.

Also, I think people who just assume everyone and everything sucks really have not lived that much. Some people are crappy, but I have spent the past five years traveling extensively and I have met humans from all walks of life... and I'll tell you... overwhelmingly the people I have met are good people.

No doubt, most people are good. Everyone has some problems and some people are truly psycho, but people who wallow in self-pity just for the sake of wallowing need to cheer the fuck up!

Life is Good and the world is actually VERY fucking beautiful. Humanity is full of beauty. It is full of love.

Can I get an "AMEN"???

:)

To turn this on its head.

The optimist expects things to go well, so bad news is a disaster, good news is mundane.

The pessimist expects things to go badly, so bad news is status quo while good news is a pleasant surprise!

:-D

I think we speak things into existence so therefore I, as a rule, do not speak or think negatively. I expect good things to happen to me and for the most part, they do. I am not crazy so I do know bad things happen. But when they do, they are not disasters, but minor hiccups on my road to success.

I'm pretty pragmatic. I know bad shit happens. So when bad shit happens and it gets all this news coverage, I don't really see any need to gawk at it.
And when bad shit happens in my life, I just deal with it and move on.
But some people love to dwell on the bad shit. I really don't see any practical reason for that. It is probablly because they like it when bad things happen. Which means they are pretty fucked in the head, if they like it when bad shit happens, whether the bad shit happens to them or whether it happens to other people. Bad shit should not make you feel better.

The problem with spending a lot of money
Is that you have little money to spend.
The problem with starting a relationship
Is counting the days until its end.
The problem with pessimism, it just doesnt' cheer you
When optimism doesn't steer you right.
As sure as night follows day, day follows night.

Well said Willian. In the end optimism and pessimism are forms of delusion, and though a certain amount of thinking positive can help, in general its those with realistic expectations that most avoid both self doubt and undue confidence.

There are a few reasons why I prefer optimism over pessimism.

For starters, an optimist is more likely to be more happy, have more fun, be funner at parties, laugh more, live longer, etc.
But also, an optimist promotes a positive creativity. An optimist's mind is searching for answers, possibilities, solutions, etc. A pessimist is looking for reasons not to try, reasons not to care, excuses, etc.

Robb wrote: "I contend that the DIY liberal is a bigger problem than the poor guy who shops at Walmart.
The DIY liberal is the one who created a market for greenwashing and made an argument for keeping government regulation out of the picture.
The Walmart pessimist is just trying to get by! If you make it affordable for him, he'll be more responsible but he'd rather people shut up about their superiority!
"

So how exactly does this make the diy liberal more of a "problem" than the guy who shops at wal-mart???
And who is the diy liberal more of a "problem" FOR?
Is the diy just more of a "problem" for you?
Or, is the diy liberal more of a "problem" for society?

And who is this diy liberal? I've never heard this term before? Are there diy conservatives as well? Or what about diy independents (which is what you would probablly consider me)? Are all diy'ers the 'problem'? Or is it just diy liberals you take issue with?

Robb wrote: "Remember, all this debate aside, I really don't believe the absolutes exist or that they are lifelong, universal character traits-- I think they're more mood-related and subject-specific"

Well presented.

Absolutes in mathematics are infinities and if physicists know anything about infinities it is always to mistrust them. Well, almost always :-D

William wrote: " I can't really say anything bar that pessimists tend to be a pain to be around, which is not much in the grand scheme of the arguement but is perhaps a small something."

Believe me William, optimists can be infuriating too. :-) Especially when they can't seem to understand other people being sad and urge them to "just cheer up".

"Just cheer up" That's what I think everytime I see some fucking teenage Goth moping around acting as if the entire world is so cruel and terrible just because they woke up with a new pimple on their nose.

I can't stand that self-defeating/self-pity shit. If they want a reason to think the world is miserable then I would be more than happy to slap them upside the head with a wet chicken!

Okay then how about this: instead of saying 'just cheer up' how about I just say, "why dont you go play in traffic you little frickin nit wit?!?"

Btw, who are these "happy people" you speak of? And why are you so opposed to them?

So by "happy people" you actually mean "phoney people"???

Are there any actual happy people in your world Rob? If so, how do you characterize them? Do you inlcude yourself as being an actually happy person?

Robb, happiness does exist. Trying to rationalize that it doesn't exist or that it is just a cult is quite honestly kinda pathetic and boring. I'm not saying that to be insulting, its just my honest opinion.

Well of course it is not a permanent state. The only constant in the universe is change.

But do you ever wonder why happiness exists? Happiness exists so that the human race will continue. If there was no happiness then there would be no point in any of us getting out of bed every morning. Even basic instincts like breathing and eating and fornicating are all done because they bring happiness. Sometimes it is short term happiness, sure. But so what?

amen!
I just read this entire thread and I'm totally convinced now.