The Scourge Of Pessimism

By Rupert Johnson

The Oxford Dictionary defines pessimism as: “A tendency to take the worst view or expect the worst outcome.”

That being said, many pessimists are not bad people per se. Nevertheless, they are generally inclined to be the embodiment of gloom and doom. In this respect the typical pessimist is the spreader of chronic depression that should be shunned like the plague.

It would appear that in times of real or perceived perils such as perpetual wars, terrorism and economic woes many people become entangled in a contagious sticky web of negativism and pessimism from which they cannot extricate themselves.

The sad thing about people who are plagued with this condition is that they tend to draw others into this sticky and crippling web also.

During my life time, I have encountered hundreds of people with a great propensity for pessimism and negativism.

These are people who are always chronic complainers. Nothing is ever acceptable to them. For example, they always complain about things that are outside the sphere of their control such as weather conditions. For them the weather is too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry, too cloudy and dull or too sunny.

And uppermost in the minds of pessimists is the state of world affairs. “We are living in the last days, the world is coming to an end,” they mourn. It is sad to say that this agonizing cry of gloom and doom is being fuelled by the mass media. Not a day passes without the perpetual drum beat of bad news.

There is no doubt that pessimistic and negative people find a great deal of comfort and solace in impending gloom and doom. They generally wrap themselves in the mantle of self-righteousness waiting for this miserable world to end so that they take refuge in the after- life.

Pessimists are generally opinionated people who firmly believe that they are always right and others are always wrong. They are perpetual fault finders who go out of their way to find flaws in others without examining the flaws within themselves.

It should be noted that the quagmire of pessimism is the perfect prescription for failure, inaction and unhappiness. As a matter of fact a pessimist has never accomplished anything worthwhile. A pessimist is generally imbued with verbosity, but his or her chatter is never followed up with meaningful action.

There is no doubt that pessimism and negativism can be inimical to one’s physical and mental health eventually leading to a chronic state of self-pity and hypochondriac behaviour. This in turn can affect one’s personal relationship with others. For example, the pessimist generally accuses both relatives and friends about their lack of sensitivity and sympathy if they do not cloak themselves in self-pity as well.

Let it be understood that amid the seeming doom and gloom in the world today, optimism is the only bright spot that can illuminate the real and perceived darkness that is ahead.

And let it be also understood that pessimism is like a contagious sticky web-like disease from which it is difficult to extricate oneself.

Rupert Johnson can be reached at: r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca.