Topic: The Truth About Personality

[Wrath of Zuruggu]

So I watched this BBC Horizon in bed last night and found it very enlightening. I meditate already of my own accord to overcome my high levels of anxiety. I think I naturally probably fall into the "pessamistic" catagory, even though I try to be optimistic (no point living life sad and afraid).

What view does everyone else take on "the world"? How do you overcome stress? etc.

End note: I've put the topic here because it's not /about/ the programme but... watch it. It's very good :>

[quack98]

With stress, I just ignore the thing and just wing it when it finally needs to be done (e.g. With exams I just do what I like the night before and just wing it on the day; it's worked so far.)

I'd say I'm not really pessimistic per-say, more realistic; when viewing something I take an optimistic and pessisimistic possibility and then work out what the most likely outcome will be. (e.g. Meeting 5 people; Optimistic everyone turns up; pessimistic 0-2 turn up; realistic 3 maybe 4 will turn up). I hope for the optimistic; think its the realistic; and acknowledge the pessimistic

[Richard and Blaziken]

I'm afraid I view life with a largely pessimistic outlook, though not on every issue (of course). I tend to fear the worst about everything, and those fears have come to fruition enough times to make me expect them. I have been trying to be more optimistic in the last 18 months, however. Being encouraged and reassured by someone that I'm forced to believe has helped, but that pessimism finds it's way back into my mind and has to be forced out frequently.

Talking to someone else that genuinely cares, without any underlying motives and real interest has been the best therapy, relief, and source of happiness in the world for me.

[Alpha Fenrir]

^ You're lucky to have someone like that. Most of the people I know are only really interested in their own problems (or those on TV shows) and if they want to listen it's only ever to say after a while "why don't you come and help me do job X... It'll make you feel better". Yeah, right.

As for my personality, where does the negativity end? I'm pessimistic, saturated with dark cynicism and extremely self aware and critical. I try not to do anything which will affect others in a negative way, but I can think of so many possible outcomes to what I say or do that I'm driven mad with anxiety before I even begin. Despite this I still end up doing or saying things which I regret hugely afterwards even though I don't know what has happened as a result of that action for certain.

What doesn't help this is my insanely critical outlook on others coupled with an arrogance which despite my frantic attempts to quell it rears it's head at the worst possible moments. And as an afterthought, my life has dumped on me a cold, defensive and unsympathetic exterior to protect my unstable and self-destroying interior. As a result, people are automatically bias against me. Which is so helpful.

Life has given me no reason to stop being pessimistic and realistic- I'm almost always justified in my outlook that the worst situations will occur. Life almost never throws me something good and surprising and any happiness which I have encountered is flattened within hours. That's just how life is. And I know that so many others are worse of than me, but I've never felt better about myself by comparing myself to other.

And, to top it all off, I still fall into hope. Hope, that greatest of gifts and cruelest of creations, still glimmers in the abyss of my mind. And whenever I reach it... it's always fools' gold.

[lets all go out for some frosty chocolate milkshakes]

expect the worse hope for the best

only death is certain





thats about it from my philosophical navelgazing i guess