The Seven Laws of Pessimism

MarylandWHODAT said

Along these same lines of trying to compartmentalize or rationalize things, the book, "The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fork" is one of the best books I have ever read. It is truly a book/advice that makes you sit back and think for a moment of what is really important in life. Great writing on perspective.

Mark Manson

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I haven't read that but I'm curious (have definitely heard of it) - I think I naturally have a disposition that lends that way. I wouldn't call it not giving a fork because that seems sort of negative to me, it's more positive than that . . . sort of like don't sweat stuff you don't need to, and look for the positives in people and most things because life is just more enjoyable that way. It's not that you don't give a fork, it is that the fork you give tends to be more positive than negative, thus generally avoiding the cumulative effect of general negativity. It's certainly not always going to carry you through an event or relationship, sometimes reality is simply incongruent with such a viewpoint - but on the whole, I think it leads to a generally happy or upbeat disposition.

My wife regularly calls me "naive" because I typically don't want to rush to call people or things that happen bad or sinister . . . but then she also gets upset about something and when I don't and tell her it's not the deal she's making of it, she says something to the extent that it's just easy for me not to worry about it and how she has to based on some vague social notion (that I simply don't even recognize because it's obviously not compelling to me). But I think all of that really is it in a nutshell -

I realize that such a life code, for me at least, is the product of privilege but I can't really do anything about that except appreciate it in the form of positivity . . . except for possibly also seeing absurdity when others equally or more privileged in this life take up the worldview of the aggrieved that has become so popular these days. On the other hand, I would never suggest that someone legitimately in the throes of institutional social or economic hardship "not to sweat it" . . . but I also think that the power of positivity can be strong for anyone, no matter the challenges, should they choose to embrace it. There are some absolutely remarkable stories of overcoming insurmountable odds through positivity and grace.