What's Better: Optimism or Pessimism? | Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. 

"Pessimists are usually more accurate, but optimists are usually healthier." Author unknown

Letting yourself be delighted by reality I feel like is a necessary predisposition for the fruit of joy to grow to its maturity. I appreciate that insight. The pessimist is also in danger of walling himself off from others and from pain in a way that can lead down some uncharitable and intemperate paths, it seems to me, at least.

"we love reality because it's been entrusted to us" Yes!

Be optimistic in imposing your actions to change what the pessimistic reality reveals what needs to be changed.

I was thinking recently similar thoughts about being more pessimistic than usual , I was thinking I may have to look closer at things and have FAITH to find a HONEST balance ! Father Pine you mentioned OPEN MINDED Ido my best to be open minded ! Faith In Jesus to walk that Design for Living that the Good LORD Blessed me with 🕊️❤️🙏

A good balance between being optimistic and being realistic.

Be a realist.

How to be confident but not proud or like how to have confidence without Pride? (Pride is no 1 Deathly Sin)

This guy is aesthetic.

Put your hope is God alone. Know that in this world you will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world.

I am pessimistic about myself

The world has divided itself into three categories: the optimist, the pessimist, and the realist... And for some mysterious reason, I find the three of them repugnant. Optimism is full of surrealism and denial... and in many instances, it lacks depth and solid ground. Like living in a La La land. Whereas, pessimism is depressive, ungrateful and dark... Devoid of any beam of light. It is suffocating! Like trying to breathe underwater. While realism is dull, limited, boring and uncreative... Empty of any sense of awe and amazement and astonishment. Like living in a world where everything is grey. I think we ought to introduce a fourth outlook, a "hopeful" one... We may even call it "hopefulism". For "hope" is a virtue that acknowledges that life is difficult, full of challenges and pain; therefore, it does not fall in the trap where optimism fell. At the same time, it looks beyond darkness and sees the "light" through it, since it believes that the truth shall eventually prevail; by this, it overcomes pessimism... While simultaneously, it preserves what is amazing and awesome in life; thus, it avoids the dullness of pure realism. If I had to choose, I would opt for "hopeful"... It contains all the colors (A little piece I wrote some years ago. Hope you like it) Elie Eid

A dandelion, cool. A new video from Fr. Gregory Pine, cool. The infinite love of God offered to us for eternal enjoyment, cool.

My favorite pessimistic statement is "clutching defeat out of the jaws of victory" which quite possibly might be my sarcastic epitaph.

You’re actually an O.P.Thomist Father.

Cosmic patriotism for the win!

Fr. nice random thoughts.❤ Perhaps those 'over 30' realise there is no building in pessimism? It's not quite as cool and world changing as it promises. That old stream that dead things float down stream and alive things swim against the current....even 'old' people in their mid thirties lol...

I am optimistic that we'll see Fr. Gregory again..without the beard 😁

I am an optimist. Because I trust God, even when I dont understand events in my life He planned for me. I choose to be joyful always. Everything will work for the GOOD for those who loves HIM

Comment for traction. Me every time a father pine video comes up: “I should watch that a some point, but watch something else.” Months later after I finally watch it: “ that was great and really helpful. So glad I watched that.” Repeat the cycle.

pessimism vs optimism vs loyalty and allegiance to Gods creation

First Comment

«L'optimiste est un imbécile heureux. Le pessimiste, un imbécile malheureux.» (Bernanos)

34 year olds should be required to apply for a dispensation

Why go to Chesterton (see my note about Brighton below), when the Church already has a teaching on this? Christians aren't called to 'optimism.' Optimism is not one of the virtues. We are called to HOPE in GOD, not have 'optimism' about 'events' or 'the future'. Asking if we are supposed to be optimists or pessimists is a false dichotomy, since Christians aren't supposed to be one or the other. If you start with a bad question, you'll come to confusing answers. You have to ask the right question to come to good answers. So the question is better, 'In a world that attempts to divide between optimism and pessimism, what is the Christian way?' The Christian way is the virtue of HOPE in God. Optimism is a false idea that even though something really bad has happened, 'it's all actually good if you just look at it the right way!' (Who hasn't wanted to smack someone who told them this about the death of a beloved pet, their house burning down, the loss of a job, etc.? Optimism unrealistically tries to find the 'good' even in something that is objectively bad: 'So in the end, it's a good thing my family was killed by a drunk driver, because otherwise, I wouldn't have become this great advocate for stronger drunk-driving laws!') And pessimism is a false idea that no matter how good things are, 'They are really crappy, if you just look at it the right way' (usually termed 'realistically': 'Sure, this ice-cream is good, but you know that the factories that make it are all filthy because the workers aren't paid enough to clean the equipment, right?'). But Catholics aren't called to either of these false positions. We are called to recognize that evil is evil and has evil effects which we should recognize and lament (or repent of) and attempt to correct it, leaving judgment of SOULS to God. We are called to recognize good as good, and be grateful to God for it and work to increase it. And we are called to HOPE that 'all things work to good for those who trust in God' without either falsely ignoring evils or distorting goods. One problem with the false dichotomy of 'optimist or pessimist' is that it places me at the center of the world: the world is as I perceive it, through my lenses. The minute we start 'being a pessimist or being an optimist' we impose our *perspective* on the reality of the world, actions and events. Reality is just 'my [optimistic] truth' or 'my [pessimistic] truth.' If anything, Christians are called to wide-awake realism, which simply means, seeing the truth as TRUE (truth is reality; truth is whatever *is*). So straightaway, by asking if we're supposed to be 'optimists' or 'pessimists,' there's a false question based in the notion that we are supposed to see the world filtered through our temperament, and not strive to see it REALISTICALLY, as God sees it. This is not even a question Catholics should be asking - or if we are asking it, it should only be to be to expose the question for the misleading false dichotomy it is, and to draw people back to a truly Catholic way of living in reality. Catholic Christians, of all people in the world, need to be discussing REALITY and calling truth, truth and falsehood, falsehood. The world has gone mad with 'my truth' and 'your truth' instead of God's truth. The Church needs to be absolute in presenting God's truth, and the Christian response to evil: HOPE in God, not loyalty to my personal perspective. I'm not supposed to be optimistic or pessimistic about the way the Church or the world is going. I'm supposed to love my neighbor, pray constantly, and place all my trust in GOD who WILL bring a happy ending out of this divine comedy that he's telling and that we are living in. We're in the midst of the story of salvation, of course there will be crises and tensions: that's the nature of a story. But this is a comedy, it has a happy ending. And our hope is in the Author of Life, who will bring about that happy ending, with or without our willing cooperation (including our personal ending). By the way, don't look 'south' for a positive impression of the Church. South of the equator will be evangelical/Pentecostal by majority by probably 2050. Try to find and read Bp Andrzej Siemieniewski and Fr Miroslaw Kiwka's Christian Charismatic Movements, Eastern and Central European Voices, Volume 1, Vandehoek and Reprecht. The REAL state of the Catholic Church in the southern hemisphere is that it is dying (thanks largely to Liberation Theology, European theologians setting Church policy and a flaccid 'social-worker clergy' instead of muscular preaching of the Gospel) - a reality that the Church hierarchy are completely ignoring as millions abandon Christ in the Eucharist for happy-clappy Pentacostalism that actually preaches the Gospel and gives them hope in Christ Jesus. (www.vandenhoeck-ruprecht-verlage.com/57056/christian-charismatic-movements) One other thing, re Chesterton's optimism for Brighton... Brighton is the LGBQ capital of Great Britain. So yeah, people have 'given vent to their love for Brighton' but that doesn't mean that it has been restored in the image of human dignity or truth, goodness and beauty. Maybe we have to wait for another restoration of Brighton.

Great thumbnail!

Sorry to have to say this, first of all to be pessimist is not an option is a flaw that shold be avoided - your delivery: think of this, a firing squad aiming at you ready to shoot if you do not squeeze 100,000 words in your 15 minutes video, hence the crazy presentation, your mouth and words are faster than what you think, they indispose the listener, you don`t have inside clarity, nor project it to the listener, it is not a good testimony to the Aquinas nor to your order, what you said at break neck speed could have been said with 20% of the words, with internal and external clarity, can only deduct that in your environment is a race of who speaks faster, clarity and depth is a great gift from God that we can all pursue, your delivery does not indicate in the list knowledge or depth but only internal confusion that is apparent from your delivery. Why do this? Clarity, depth, ability to convince others is not in the rush of words, they reside in the depth of the soul and when they are there the listener is conquered and motivated to go to higher ground, not here. Slow down even St. Thomas would tell you that

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