On: The steady gain of humanity

[simonh]

Pessimists are good at identifying threats, prepare for the worst and therefore are more likely to survive when the worst does eventualy happen.

[argumentum → simonh]

Pessimists may be good at identifying threats, but actually preparing for them implies the belief that the outcome can be changed with effort. That's pretty much the definition of optimism.

[pjscott → argumentum]

Obviously there's at least one spectrum here.

[guylhem → simonh]

Alternative vision : pessimists are good at sacrificing the future for perceived potential threats in the present.