Pessimism Quotes

Pessimism is only the name that men of weak nerves give to wisdom.

Whether we like it or not, there are moments in history when pessimism is the appropriate response.

Churches can become places of cynicism, resistance, and pessimism.

I don’t believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it’s going to rain, it will.

I’d like very much to make a confident picture. I would like to be as good as nature, which, with a shower, produces flowers and grass to cover the destruction. But we are surrounded by human fragmentation, by pessimism, and it is difficult to talk of other things.

I’m finding myself increasingly attracted to literature that starts with pessimism as it’s leading point and goes from there.

Sometimes pessimism or optimism gets popular, and it’s contagious.

Pessimism is a luxury that a Jew can never allow himself.

Pessimism is rife in Israel.

I’d like very much to make a confident picture. I would like to be as good as nature, which, with a shower, produces flowers and grass to cover the destruction. But we are surrounded by human fragmentation, by pessimism, and it is difficult to talk of other things.

As long as we can imagine a better path, of course we are obligated to seek it. This is why unwarranted pessimism about our future is actually irresponsible.

There is a real danger of unintended consequences, of encouraging people to give up. Pessimism, if it becomes a habit, can reinforce a narrative of unstoppable decline. If there is nothing we can do, that releases us from our obligations.

My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of other pessimists.

Pessimism of the spirit; optimism of the will.

Churches can become places of cynicism, resistance, and pessimism.

I definitely grew up on Garfield. I just loved his pessimism.

Thanks to my Buddhist faith, to the positivity that arose from prayer, I put the optimism of determination before the pessimism of logic and reason.

Pessimism is as American as apple pie – frozen apple pie with a slice of processed cheese.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with being more pessimistic than optimistic. Optimism is broad-based, non-detail-oriented thinking; pessimism is detail-oriented thinking.

Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.

You know, the pessimism which exists now in the Middle East existed in Northern Ireland, but we stayed at it.

I find the strongest predictor of people who do well at Shopify is whether they see opportunity as something to compete for, or do they see opportunity as essentially everywhere and unlimited? It’s a rough proxy for pessimism and optimism.

Science fiction always has had strains of pessimism and optimism weaving through its historical development, sometimes one dominating and then the other, usually depending on the state of the world.

I believe passionately in preemptive pessimism, especially before a book comes out. I expect the worst both from reviewers and sales, and then, with any luck, I may be proved wrong.

Pessimism about America’s future tends to underestimate its capacity for self-renewal.

I reckon every player feels much the same on the eve of a Six Nations championship. We all want to finish top, win the title and do our respective countries proud in the process. We’re also aware a lot of other people are seeking precisely the same thing. Pessimism and optimism collide like two ferrets in a sack.

It is the hopeful, buoyant, cheerful attitude of mind that wins. Optimism is a success builder; pessimism an achievement killer.

Science fiction always has had strains of pessimism and optimism weaving through its historical development, sometimes one dominating and then the other, usually depending on the state of the world.

I first read Dostoyevsky when I was 14 years old and was entranced. Dostoyevsky truly is a writer for 14-year-olds, and I mean that in the most approving way – approving of his energy, and rage, his endless pessimism, and endless innocence.

It fails everybody, pretty much, the American Dream, but people are driven by it. I don’t think we’re driven by the same sense of hope in Europe. We’re driven by pessimism more.

Optimism means better than reality; pessimism means worse than reality. I’m a realist.

With the sole exception of President Bill Clinton, whose ‘bridge to the 21st century’ evoked the vision and optimism of other great Democratic presidents of the 20th century, such as FDR and John F. Kennedy, pessimism about America’s economic future has been the hallmark of modern progressivism.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with being more pessimistic than optimistic. Optimism is broad-based, non-detail-oriented thinking; pessimism is detail-oriented thinking.

It fails everybody, pretty much, the American Dream, but people are driven by it. I don’t think we’re driven by the same sense of hope in Europe. We’re driven by pessimism more.

Pessimism, when you get used to it, is just as agreeable as optimism.

I have about an equal amount of optimism and pessimism.

Pessimism never won any battle.

Thanks to my Buddhist faith, to the positivity that arose from prayer, I put the optimism of determination before the pessimism of logic and reason.

Blending hard-bitten realism with long-view optimism, Obama said that every 20 or 30 years brings a new cycle of pessimism in America.

My pessimism goes to the point of suspecting the sincerity of the pessimists.

Pessimism about America’s future tends to underestimate its capacity for self-renewal.

I think it is a luxury and privilege to be sane and well and pessimistic. Because with depression, you have no other option. You don’t want that pessimism, because it is crushing you and keeping you down at the bottom of the well.

I found, when I left, that there were others who felt the same way. We’d meet, they’d come and seek me out, we’d talk about the future. And I found that their depression and pessimism was every bit as acute as mine.

It’s much more fun to be full of hope than pessimism any day of the week.

Pessimism is my default setting.

Pessimism is a luxury that a Jew can never allow himself.

One has to have the courage of one’s pessimism.

Criticism and pessimism destroy families, undermine institutions of all kinds, defeat nearly everyone, and spread a shroud of gloom over entire nations.

Don’t pessimism and caution naturally go hand in hand?

There is a real danger of unintended consequences, of encouraging people to give up. Pessimism, if it becomes a habit, can reinforce a narrative of unstoppable decline. If there is nothing we can do, that releases us from our obligations.

I’m British; pessimism is my wheelhouse.

Younger people have so many opportunities. I don’t see any pessimism among them.

In securing the future of the planet, we secure happiness for ourselves. One of the aims of the Greens is to turn around the tide of pessimism amongst the young people of the world.

I believe passionately in preemptive pessimism, especially before a book comes out. I expect the worst both from reviewers and sales, and then, with any luck, I may be proved wrong.

Criticism and pessimism destroy families, undermine institutions of all kinds, defeat nearly everyone, and spread a shroud of gloom over entire nations.

I don’t think you lead by pessimism and cynicism. I think you lead by optimism and enthusiasm and energy.

Pessimism only describes an attitude, and not facts, and hence is entirely subjective.

If pessimism is despair, optimism is cowardice and stupidity. Is there any need to choose between them?

I think a certain degree of pessimism is actually helpful to love.

We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.

The older books were quite light-hearted. But I think most of my novels do end on a deep note of pessimism. Shadows seem to be closing in. The final conclusion isn’t that life is wonderful and everything is bright and cheery and in the garden.

The reason why there is more pessimism about technology in Europe has to do with history, the use of databases to keep track of people in the camps, ecological disasters.

Optimism doesn’t wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time.

Pessimism of the spirit; optimism of the will.

We all agree that pessimism is a mark of superior intellect.

Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.

Pessimism is as American as apple pie – frozen apple pie with a slice of processed cheese.

Both hope and pessimism are deeply contagious. And no one is more infectious than a leader.

Optimism isn’t funny unless you are laughing at the person, whereas extreme pessimism is extremely funny. It’s exaggeration.

I think a certain degree of pessimism is actually helpful to love.