Our society values blind optimism.

[Tonus]

I wonder if optimism is really a superior strategy to realism or pessimism. As a species, we seem biased towards optimism. However to assume that it has adaptive value just because we're biased toward it is I think an improper leap.

The information in the book surprised me, but McRaney also admits that much of this type of research is still fairly new and some of it is still being challenged and tested. I suppose one thing that makes it difficult is that we probably are not 100% optimist/realist/pessimist. We are confident in some areas, realistic in others, and lacking confidence in others.

And it seems to me that optimism has an upper limit of sorts. I can be as optimistic as I want that I'll be a billionaire tomorrow, but without the necessary pieces in place it won't happen. I can remain optimistic by claiming that it was just a setback and I'll actually make that first billion tomorrow, but now I'm heading towards a path of either being terribly let down or sinking into delusion. Optimism balanced with realism (I can't be a billionaire tomorrow, but what steps can I realistically take to improve my finances in a day?) can move us forward and help us to get through difficult times.

But I do believe that the tendency to underestimate ourselves is cultural. The idea that a humble person who puts the interests of others ahead of his own is the best possible person to be can be warped into believing that you put everyone ahead of you because they're better than you are. The idea that there's a higher power that will smooth things out in the end (be it god, or karma, etc) may allow us the convenience of setting aside our dreams or desires in the hopes that we'll win that cosmic lottery. Perhaps realism touched by a bit of optimism would be the better approach there.