optimism – Karlbooklover

Political systems can instill Hope or Despair in a population

26/12/2018 by Karl Niebuhr

This part of the book Learned optimism shows how optimism can be influenced by a political system. Explanatory Style Across Frontiers IN 1983 I WENT to Munich to attend the Congress of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, and on the second day I fell into conversation with an intense young German … Read more

Cheerful Pessimism

25/11/2018 by Karl Niebuhr

Even though optimistic people live more successful lives, pessimism has its place in the short term. Pessimism can support the realism we so often need. Confused? Think about a pilot, for instance, you’d rather have him an upbeat outlook at security or a mercilessly realistic one? Let’s call it practical pessimism because it serves us … Read more