The Costs of Optimism and the Benefits of Pessimism

  How many times have you heard that a positive attitude is key to solving your problems? Recently, the idea has gained momentum that being optimistic is a maxim for everyone, that we must work and cultivate this virtue to feel good about ourselves, with others, and with life. While this is true to some extent, it’s not as simple as it seems. In fact, in some situations, the costs of optimism and the benefits of pessimism have been proven. It’s worth noting that we should see these two terms not as categories, but as the extremes of a continuum….