The discussion revolves around how leaders can promote optimism among Americans in the face of various obstacles, including political, social, and economic challenges. Participants explore the implications of current trends and historical contexts, as well as the role of leadership in fostering a hopeful outlook.
Participants express a range of views, with no clear consensus on the prospects for optimism in America. While some see potential for positive change, others remain skeptical about the effectiveness of leadership and the future trajectory of the country.
Participants reference various projections and trends, indicating that the discussion is influenced by differing interpretations of demographic, economic, and political developments. There are unresolved assumptions about the implications of these trends for future optimism.
nanosiborg said:I think he's a poser, a phony, of sorts.
If something bad happens to you and you are optimistic, you have a problem. If something bad happens to you and you are pessimistic, you have two problems. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.nanosiborg said:What does the historical record suggest?
Nice Chris. Look those people in the eye and tell them to abandon hope. That'll help. I don't blame them for their negativity, I just recommend they abandon it.dydxforsn said:"Suddenly, abused and battered wives or children, the unemployed, the depressed and mentally ill, the illiterate, the lonely, those grieving for lost loved ones, those crushed by poverty, the terminally ill, those fighting with addictions, those suffering from trauma, those trapped in menial and poorly paid jobs, those whose homes are in foreclosure or who are filing for bankruptcy because they cannot pay their medical bills, are to blame for their negativity. .” - Chris Hedges
nanosiborg said:"I feel your pain. You seem disappointed that Obama hasn't improved the lot of the common working people as much as you would like. In fact you may feel that the lot of the working people has declined and that Big Business will see to it that they, not the working people improve their lot.Ramsey2879 said:I guess that by asking what our leader (sic - should be leaders) can do to increase optimism about America, I am asking which is the more urgent goal: stop devaluing the dollar, bringing manufacturing jobs back to America, improving the system of education in America, stop the increase of crime in our major cities, or other. Once we have defined our goals, then we can talk about the most optimistic course of action."
Do you know of any particular reasons to believe that any of these things will happen? I get that you're optimistic. I'm just wondering why.
My point is to express my opinion that I see no particular reason to be optimistic about the future circumstances of the common working people.
Here's something to consider. Is there a point at which unsupported optimism can become little more than dishonesty?
I am optimistic for working people partly because my family was a working class family of 9 children. My father worked as a machinist and my mom worked as a secretary so that we could afford to pay the mortgage which had an interest rate of 15%. The schools I attended were not well funded, I remember 6th grade and having to keep my history book bound together with rubber bands because the book was old and the binding had broken. Others in the classroom had to sit in chairs meant for first graders because there were not enough bigger chairs for us. I did a lot of reading. I much enjoyed reading about Thomas Edison who invented the incandescent lamp and many other rags to riches stories. We still have many rags to riches stories, many of them based on the creativity of a person from the working class who managed to get a patent his idea. The American people are a generous people and helped my mother and father raise us children. The library received many donated books. My older daughter got a scholarship to George Washington University in Washington, D.C. My English and History grades were poor and I couldn't pay for college; but, I managed to work my way through school to become a mechanical engineer. All of my brothers and sisters managed to do fairly well for themselves except for Marie who had mental problems as a result of being raped while only 14. She committed suicide at age 20.
I am also optimistic for the working people because of the reasons I gave earlier and since the internet gives the working people more of a voice and along with this voice a more representation in Congress.
Thread closed, this is too far out there.dydxforsn said:Here's an interesting quote I read recently that has to do with this:
“Those who fail to exhibit positive attitudes, no matter the external reality, are seen as maladjusted and in need of assistance. Their attitudes need correction. Once we adopt an upbeat vision of reality, positive things will happen. This belief encourages us to flee from reality when reality does not elicit positive feelings. These specialists in "happiness" have formulated something they call the "Law of Attraction." It argues that we attract those things in life, whether it is money, relationships or employment, which we focus on. Suddenly, abused and battered wives or children, the unemployed, the depressed and mentally ill, the illiterate, the lonely, those grieving for lost loved ones, those crushed by poverty, the terminally ill, those fighting with addictions, those suffering from trauma, those trapped in menial and poorly paid jobs, those whose homes are in foreclosure or who are filing for bankruptcy because they cannot pay their medical bills, are to blame for their negativity. The ideology justifies the cruelty of unfettered capitalism, shifting the blame from the power elite to those they oppress. And many of us have internalized this pernicious message, which in times of difficulty leads to personal despair, passivity and disillusionment.” - Chris Hedges