Recent comments in /f/philosophy

Wilddog73 t1_j2tq9nj wrote

Reply to comment by unassumingdink in Look on the dark side | We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice by ADefiniteDescription

I'm optimistic enough to try and communicate with a lot of pessimistic/political fellows, yet they're often too pessimistic to see communicating back as anything but a waste of time.

They assume failure without even really trying. We've had too much pessimism lately imo.

8

WallyMetropolis t1_j2tpoz1 wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Look on the dark side | We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice by ADefiniteDescription

No, that would be a weird over-generalization. I'm just contesting the idea that history was defined by broad optimism, or that optimism has been a constantly, hugely popular position for people right up until the present moment. That's false.

And I'm also saying there's value in optimism.

4

monkeylogic42 t1_j2toakx wrote

Reply to comment by Rychek_Four in Look on the dark side | We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice by ADefiniteDescription

Even easier to lie to yourself and assume things are going to just work out. I just asked you to clarify your specific issue you brought up, but check my comment history in the thread for more specifics and we can go from there if you wanna abandon your cancer cure argument.

3

monkeylogic42 t1_j2tngks wrote

Reply to comment by Rethious in Look on the dark side | We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice by ADefiniteDescription

How much of the rainforest is destroyed per day? Wetlands? How many wells of oil still spewing how much in to the environment? How many forever chemicals spills have been remedied? The ramifications of our actions have only begun, and the actions haven't stopped. None the less the underdeveloped areas that don't even have a clue or care to tally pollution accurately.

6

Rychek_Four t1_j2tn9ug wrote

Reply to comment by monkeylogic42 in Look on the dark side | We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice by ADefiniteDescription

It's easy and low effort to just list problems. Anyone can do that. It's different to talk about things in the context of where they have been and where they are going. Maybe if you pick a specific issue and dig down you will see what I mean.

11

gahblahblah t1_j2tn8w3 wrote

Reply to comment by monkeylogic42 in Look on the dark side | We must keep the flame of pessimism burning: it is a virtue for our deeply troubled times, when crude optimism is a vice by ADefiniteDescription

Your comment is a good example of lack of optimism leading to complete blinding fatalism.

>No one has done shit

You casually dismiss every good thing as being non-existent. I would need only a single example to prove you wrong - like the trend of investment in renewable energy.

>to motivate them positively is an impossible task

Pure fatalism. When you claim people are so indecent as to not tolerate minor inconvenience, I suppose I wonder how you are unable to perceive whole societies where they wear masks routinely.

>There's not a single drop of hope for anything changing even if it's going to only mildly inconvenience the average person.

Pure fatalism to its very core.

Technologies are advancing rapidly. AI will automate many jobs. The world cannot not change. You perspective makes you blind to the bulk of reality.

28