Realisticly speaking...

[kensaro]

In general, you can devide the world into optimists, pessimists and realists, but there seems to be some serious contention between the different groups, and sometimes even outright animosity between them. Realists especially seem to be the ones who get the short end of the stick, mainly from the optimists. Any realistic assesment of the situtation

Comments

[khenti]

I suppose I'm a pessimist most of the time, but I honestly consider myself a realist. Especially when people are concerned, you can generally expect the worst from them and it is very, very rare that you will be wrong.

I suppose that might be the very definition of a pessimist. Heh.

[kensaro]

Ah, no that's buying in to what the optimists are trying to get you to believe.

[toob]

I think to some degree people pick up on how you expect them to behave and act accordingly.

If you expect the worst from people, you're more likely to get it. If you expect the best from people, they sense it and try harder.

PLUS, if you expect the worst from people, not only can they sense it, but you're likely to treat them differently: more negatively, bitterly, etc. And people respond poorly to that. So you'll get worse results.

I randomly smile at people, and I randomly get smiles back. It makes me feel great.

Cynicism is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we can't believe in the good things in others, those good things don't even have a fighting chance of becoming real.

[khenti]

I hear that a lot, but I don't believe it in the slightest

[toob]

Really? Hm. Are you happy?

...and did we discover that? I don't remember you. Did you change your name or something?

[toob]

Oh, and you gotta wonder at the coincidence, though: that I have generally good luck and positive results with people, and like them, and you're continually disappointed by them, and hate them. That's gotta say SOMETHING.

[khenti]

For the most part, yeah. That's not a simple question. Where people are concerned though, I'm very happy with my better safe then sorry policy.

And no, it doesn't have to say anything, really. I recall us getting into arguments so intense on a nightly basis that you wouldn't want to me the next day, heh. On the opposite side of the coin, I have the occasional friend who defies my general distaste for other people. There's no 100 percent one way or another. There's no "self fulfilling prophecy" involved and no proof but personal testimony and perception, which can be wildly skewed.

I have changed my name, actually. I can't recall what I was going by when I stayed with you in that little studio in San Jose. I'm grateful for that.

[toob]

Oh, YOU. Well, I can recall, but since you're grateful, I won't rob you of your rare chance for gratitude. :)

At the time you told me I'd restored your faith in humanity. It looks like that didn't last. And for what it's worth... people CAN tell that you don't like them, whether you think they can or not.

[khenti]

That was written wrong, heh.

I'm not grateful that I changed my name. I'm grateful that you let me stay there. Thank you.

[toob]

Whew, for a moment I fetl terrible.

I know we argued a lot, and it was rough (and my place wasn't very nice in general), but I DID like having you there.