Quotes About Pessimism

Pessimism regards this world as imperfect, but it does not deny everything. In these terms, Indian Buddhism is certainly pessimistic, for it denies that the reality of this world is anything more than transmigratory existence. But it has one clear purpose, liberation, and it sets out along a defined road, religious training. Transmigration and liberation from transmigration: these are the two wheels of the chariot of Indian Buddhism, indispensable to its view of human life.

Do not however suppose that the conclusion to be drawn will turn out to be one of despair. Angst is an intermittently fashionable emotion and the misreading of some existentialist texts has turned despair itself into a kind of psychological nostrum. But if we are indeed in as bad a state as I take us to be, pessimism too will turn out to be one more cultural luxury that we shall have to dispense with in order to survive in these hard times.

There has been a shift to what may be defined as a culture of negativity which goes well beyond coverage of politics.

You're confident he'll have found him, then?" "Well, no. I didn't sat that." "If there's one thing I hate," Volyova said, looking coldly at the other Triumvir, "it's mindless optimism.

Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.

I found, when I left, that there were others who felt the same way. We'd meet, they'd come and seek me out, we'd talk about the future. And I found that their depression and pessimism was every bit as acute as mine.

One has to have the courage of one's pessimism.

When a country is strong... it accepts any dose of pessimism from its writers.

Whether we like it or not, there are moments in history when pessimism is the appropriate response.

Don't pessimism and caution naturally go hand in hand?

There's probably a little greater case for pessimism than optimism. But I do not rule out optimism.

Germany's Angela Merkel exudes an atmosphere of elderly exhaustion and pooped-out pessimism. Britain's David Cameron, though by nature exuberant, feels he has to look and sound glum. And France's leader, Francois Hollande, seems determined to drive every successful businessman out of the country.

I'm British; pessimism is my wheelhouse.

Pessimism is my default setting.

I definitely grew up on Garfield. I just loved his pessimism.

Both hope and pessimism are deeply contagious. And no one is more infectious than a leader.

I think, instead of the pessimism of the Remain campaign, we have an opportunity to think of the next generation. If we have faith in their talent, in their generosity, in their hard work, we can, if we leave the E.U., ensure the next generation makes this country once more truly great.

As long as we can imagine a better path, of course we are obligated to seek it. This is why unwarranted pessimism about our future is actually irresponsible.

I am an optimist, unrepentant and militant. After all, in order not to be a fool an optimist must know how sad a place the world can be. It is only the pessimist who finds this out anew every day.

A pessimist is one who builds dungeons in the air.

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

Many an optimist has become rich by buying out a pessimist.

Pessimists are born, true, but they also can be made.

People who don't know me think I'm easy-going, but I'm a pessimist by nature and an old curmudgeon.