
Learned Optimism - zackattack
http://www.zacharyburt.com/2010/05/learned-optimism/
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kentosi
Quite complicated - but an interesting analysis. I see that this overlaps (or
even is?) neuro-linguistic programming.

However, it seems to go even broader than simply converting your mental
programming from saying "i must go to work" to "i want to go to work". The way
I read this article is: \- Optimism: The bad parts of my life are temporary.
(implying that the good parts are the way it should be). \- Pessimism: The
good parts of my life are temporary. (implying that the bad parts are the way
it should be)

~~~
Qz
Enlightenment: life is temporary.

------
billswift
I started reading that book many years ago, but quit when he admitted that
pessimists' views were more accurate. If people need to hide from reality to
accomplish something, people are incredibly screwed up.

~~~
10ren
Literally, you're saying that because he stated a truth about pessimists, you
decided to not read further. I think you're probably actually implying that
you object to him promoting optimism, even though it is not accurate. Two
counters to this:

1\. a _realist_ can use these ideas to be more accurate in their thinking. By
being aware of when we are generalizing and personalizing, we can reconsider
whether that is accurate or not. Although he said that a pessimist is more
accurate than an optimist, it seems that a pessimist is not perfectly
accurate, because pessimism creates distortions when _over_ generalizing or
_over_ personalizing.

2\. Your premise here, of insisting on positive knowledge, is a trap, because
many things are unknown, and when failure has a low cost, experimentation is
the rational strategy. Optimism supports this approach (you don't take failure
seriously, and you keep trying.) But when failure has a high cost, being
cautious is a more rational strategy. Pessimism supports this.

That is, for acting in the world, one should weight probabilities of
success/failure by costs and rewards/dangers (as opposed to only observing, in
order to discover probabilities for their own sake, as a scientist might, who
isn't concerned about making something happen).

3\. a bonus thought from my 101 Philosophy: studies have shown that athletes
who _believe_ they will perform better, actually do perform better. That is,
an inaccurate estimation becomes accurate. Other _Pygmalion_ effect:

> "Simply put, when teachers expect students to do well and show intellectual
> growth, they do; when teachers do not have such expectations, performance
> and growth are not so encouraged and may in fact be discouraged in a variety
> of ways" <http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9902/pygm_1.htm>
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect>
> <http://chir.ag/wiki/pygmalion>

For a literary perspective, there's also "My Fair Lady" (based on a play
called _Pygmalion_
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_(play)#Adaptations>) and this
intriguing sequence from _Paris Je T'aime_
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIa0454xfyI>

------
FinnVillus
Nice article. I would love to be an optimist but I don't think I can do it.

~~~
Psyonic
Certainly not with that attitude! ;)

