"Kristin A. Ruhle" wrote:
>
> So the guy's decided to be a Professional Optimist (tm). well I doubt
> optimists are objectively right more often than pessimists - could be less
> - but they (a) cheer people up (b) are happier for the illusions they
> cherish.
>
> He probably decided he could make more money that way. Professional
> Optimists are in demand especially with corporations and big money
> interests to tell them What they Want to Hear. Which IMO is simply
> prostituting yourself. For sale to the highest bidder! Despicable.
>
> Kristin
> yes, I'm A CYNIC! Sometimes you have to overstate a problem to get
> anybody to do anything about it! Y2K doomsayers did us a favor!
The problem is, if a prediction hasn't come true 30 years after it was
supposed to happen, people don't take that particular prediction
seriously anymore. Pessimism is very good for initially calling
attention to a problem, but if the case is overstated for too long, then
anyone overstating it will be looked at as a nutcase or someone with an
axe to grind by a great many people.
I don't think he's a professional optimist, as much as he is a REALIST.
He doesn't seem to be a Pollyanna or anything like that, or someone
despairing that we're going to totally kill the planet within the next
10 years. There is a middle ground between pessimism and optimism, and
I think that's where he is.
Kristin, you have a tendency to see things in terms of black and white,
when a lot of things have lots of grey shades. The world isn't all
binary; there are real numbers between 0 and 1.
And from what little I've read about the guy, it's not about money, it's
about integrity. I could be way off base, but at least I don't think
I'm selling him short. You may be selling him short with that
assessment of him. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, at
least, and I don't see why you couldn't do the same, unless you're stuck
in this binary mindset you appear to espouse.
Julia
