Generally negative?

Biblioklept

Are you a generally positive or negative person?

I always try to look on the bright side when it comes to individuals and people, outlook on stuff, I try not to dwell on every niggle and complaint, so I'd say I'm positive, BUT I also am hugely skeptical of organisations, politicians and governments etc so maybe I'm not as positive as I think 😅

Are you mostly positive, mostly negative? Cup half full, cup half empty?

michael57

I am and always have been a always look on the bright side of life monty type

Kookee

I’m the same as you @Biblioklept I see distrust of organisations, politicians etc. as being a realist more than being negative.

Rosie_Scope

I'd say I have a bit of both! My inside voice can skew quite negative sometimes, but my outside one when I'm around other people is generally fairly positive, if that makes sense!

I do try to see the positives in things most of the time and I'd say I'm quite a hopeful person. But with a dose of realism. Maybe the sentence that sums it up is "hope for the best, expect the worst"! ☺️

MW123

I tend to take every situation as it comes. I don’t slot easily into “positive” or “negative.” I try to keep an open mind. I learnt early in life that things are rarely what they seem.

I’ll look for the good, but I won’t pretend it’s always there. I deal with what’s in front of me and don’t waste time deciding which box I’m meant to fit in.

As for the glass analogy, I’ve never quite understood it. Half full, half empty, to me, the answer’s always neither.

66Mustang

@Biblioklept

My granddad (died in 1999) was like that but also in reverse, like with how he treated people

He was the kindest, gentlest man toward any individual person. He would do anything for anyone – in 1950 he taught a Polish war survivor to drive. He recognised that it was usually men who drove at that time, and as she was on her own, she'd need this valuable life skill. She didn't speak much English but loved doing it. He didn't ask for any payment. He was also a vegetarian, back in the days before it was fashionable!

However… when it came to organisations he was cynical. He was a mechanic and transplanted Cosworth parts into a normal Ford Sierra so he could insure it as a regular Ford Sierra. When he wrote it off he worked through the night to revert it back so he could make a claim!!!!! He also had odd-sized feet so would mail-order two different pairs of shoes and then send the ones he didn't need back as a single pair, hoping the company wouldn't notice. 😂

Basically he knew companies were out to get him, but would do anything for individuals ❤️

OverlyAnxious

I consider myself a realist. Though other people often think I'm being negative. I rarely find anything positive happens in my reality - perhaps their reality is different?

I can't stand people being 'false' though. In my opinion, being optimistic about something that realistically cannot happen seems like a lie and that feels 'wrong' to me. I would much rather people just be honest and realistic with me.

WhatThe

I'm with OverlyAnxious on this one.

Pessimists are realists. I'd rather be grounded than delusional.

(A glass half full or half empty is self-explanatory)

I am a cheerful pessimist with a glass half full!

😁

Amberpearl

I'd like to say I'm. Positive person but so much has happened in my life I. Jusr don't know anymore

onmylonesome

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1083725#Comment_1083725

Scammer!

66Mustang

@OverlyAnxious @WhatThe

I think I consider myself a realist too, but don't think that pessimists are realists any more than optimists are. I think realists are probably in the middle!

Since exploring PTSD I've learnt how excessive pessimism is harmful in its own right. I used to believe that to any stranger I was a resource to be tapped into, and they didn't care whether I lived or died. However that leads to hyper-defensiveness which is unpleasant toward others, so the worry becomes self-fulfilling

We see it a lot in society where pessimism drives a wedge between people. Groups are taught to see the worst in each other and to assume that the other side sees the worst in them.

I've learnt firsthand how broadcasting to everyone that you think they hate you or are dangerous is self-fulfilling. It was a helpful adaptation at the time, because at one stage of life things WERE like that and assuming everyone wanted to hurt me kept me safe and alive, but now I'm removed from that situation it becomes a maladaptation

Biblioklept

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1083646#Comment_1083646

I love the idea of different realitities and I'm not going to be able to explain this well but I think we all very much do live in different realities. The way we all perceive things is impacted by our personal experiences since the day we were born, maybe even before, and no two people will ever have the exact same life and experiences.

What our minds are tuned to see, and what it tunes out, is shaped by our own experience.

Just look at the different opinions people have on shows like Traitors. We all watch the exact same cut and edit of the show but people will come out of it with very different opinions on the people. The show isn't different, we are all watching the same thing, but how we intepret their actions is shaped by our own reality and experiences, more than what they are actually doing