by John Traveler

Created on: June 25, 2010

There can be no doubt  the human psyche, among other things, is the most fickle manifestation in the universe, or at very least here on terra firma. Give the average human bad news or forecast of a dismal disconcerting outcome and they become immediately demoralized and willing to contemplate defeat. On the other hand, embrace them with optimism and they are sure to rally to the cause, empowered by the associative property of optimism.

Consider for example the military combatant on their way into battle. Tell them the truth, that the person sitting next to them, or perhaps they themselves, will not survive the ordeal, and their willingness to do battle will surely be diminished. Conversely, engage their sense of comradery, the notion that you are not in this alone, “all for one and one for all,” and so quickly, the essence of imminent peril is replaced with a zeal to put ones life in harms way.  George Patton may have been the most effective General of WWII, largely due to an excess of exuberant optimism which pervaded his own persona.

“When the going gets tough, the tough have got to get going,” is a favorite adage this writer uses to induce a bit of personal optimism when needed. When the Republican party, going into the last presidential election was divided and demoralized, Sarah Palin stepped out on the stage, and with her catch phrase “Drill Baby Drill!,” whipped crowds into an optimistic frenzy. During the great 1930’s depression, then President Roosevelt used his famous fireside chat radio broadcasts to instill hope with an optimistic message. “Do something, if it works do more of it, if it doesn't work, do something else,” is an example of FDRs optimistic slogans. Any way you look at it, that statement wreaks of optimism and offers powerful effect when astutely pondered.

The forgoing examples demonstrate the power of optimism in motivating individuals within a group, but an optimistic outlook can also be a great and powerful motivator on an individual basis and with respect to how one deals with ones self. On this level, pessimism is a destructive and defeatist force. In the case of some folks, severely deprived of the sense of self driven optimism, suicidal tendencies are not uncommon. At the innate level, we need optimism to stay alive, to keep moving forward in life no matter how dire our circumstance become. There is always tomorrow, things will get better, or perhaps are not as bad

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