The Optimist's Brain

[JimD]

I ran cross this blog post on a blog (declineoftheempire) run by an old Peak Oiler named Dave Cohen.  I got a big kick out of it (being a dedicated pessimist and accused of such all the time) so I thought I would post it here and see if it generated any discussion.

http://www.declineoftheempire.com/2011/10/the-optimists-brain.html

[ccgwebmaster]

I ran cross this blog post on a blog (declineoftheempire) run by an old Peak Oiler named Dave Cohen.  I got a big kick out of it (being a dedicated pessimist and accused of such all the time) so I thought I would post it here and see if it generated any discussion.

http://www.declineoftheempire.com/2011/10/the-optimists-brain.html

I have a feeling it came up in the rather long "When and how bad" thread? I requested the paper from HindenIceBerg some time ago now - interesting stuff.

It describes the normal human as far as I can see - which is to say that most people are inappropriately optimistic. I think it's a bit complicated though - am I pessimistic for thinking the sky is falling and big problems will come fairly soon - or am I optimistic for thinking I can do something about it?

[Neven]

Are those Matt Ridley videos meant as a Poe? 

If so, very funny.

[OldLeatherneck]

I ran cross this blog post on a blog (declineoftheempire) run by an old Peak Oiler named Dave Cohen.  I got a big kick out of it (being a dedicated pessimist and accused of such all the time) so I thought I would post it here and see if it generated any discussion.

http://www.declineoftheempire.com/2011/10/the-optimists-brain.html

JimD,

Very informative link regarding the cognitive abilities of the human brain when faced with threatening information.  I'm wondering if we weren't wired this way to be able to become problem solvers.  If the human race had cowered every time it had been threatened, we may never had advanced social structures and technological achievements.  That being said, we are now faced with some threats that are so ominous and imminent that we can not afford to filter them out of our collective consciences.

From the article you linked:

More and more scientific research into human cognition is finding a perversive bias to see the glass as half-full even when the water's nearly gone.

I try to keep my sanity by following the following philosophy:
It's always possible to view the glass as half full, as long as you realize that next year you will need to be using a smaller glass![/i]

I'm going to be cross-posting this thread in the topic "Why some still "DENY" and others "FAIL TO ACT" http://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.php/topic,68.0.html

[Bruce Steele]

Ccg, you summarized my conundrum rather neatly,  - am I pessimistic for thinking the sky is falling and big problems will come fairly soon - or am I optimistic for thinking I can do something about it? If you are about to set sail soon I have enjoyed your input. Off subject ( excuse me ) but you might go out and buy a book " the Log of the Molly B"  by   Pete Hogan. The log of a solo circumnavigation by an Irishman. Put her in the roaring 40's ,set the storm sail ,and let her rip. Nice guy I met when he put his boat on the beach early on.   So back to the subject . Who would you prefer to captain your boat across dangerous and uncharted waters ?  I have had four friends bitten by white sharks and only one died. I suppose I earned the nickname " grim " but being a pessimist doesn't preclude taking risks. Putting to sea without good ground tackle is a sure sign of an optimist , and a fool.