Foreword: Just My Opinion™
Pessimists are creatives who are able to see the worst possible outcomes. To me, this means we have people who are able to effectively sound the alarm, and it’s worth at least listening to what they have to say.
I feel Pessimism is shunned nowadays because it comes close enough to Realism so as to be uncomfortably familiar, as what we’re seeing unfold is one of the worst potentialities we had at our disposal (I think most if not all of us agree that we couldn’t have anticipated a dystopia THIS fucking stupid).
In a healthy society, however, one in which things work in favour of the citizens and every soul has the necessities of life assured, Pessimism would serve as a cautionary element. It would demonstrate the disasters we’re avoiding or will have to avoid.
I feel this has always been its role, from Ancient Greek Tragedies to contemporary dystopian sci-fi, but somewhere along the way it became something to be avoided like the plague (see Toxic Optimism/Positivism).
The only difference between optimism and pessimism, is that you prefer one over the other. The only people that think pessimism is closer to reality than optimism are the pessimists, because that’s literally how pessimism works.
Optimists think pessimists are just depressing and further from reality.
It’s more rare to find a pessimist than an optimist. To be a pessimist, you need to predict outcomes WORSE than reality.
Most people you think are pessimists are realists.
Realists are just people who refuse to believe that their perspective is skewed.
Imagine the arrogance to think that your life experiences are exactly what’s required to be right and completely objective all of the time
All of the time? Don’t be daft.
Realists are simply people who, when they get things wrong, adjust their understanding of the world.
Optimists and pessimists just slip that second step.
And let me guess, you’re a realist who always has the exact right amount of positivity or negativity that each situation requires.
Oh god no. I’m wrong a whole bunch. Less than last year though. Much less than three years ago.