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Why do humans default to pessimism?
Posted on 6/4/20 at 12:55 pm
Posted on 6/4/20 at 12:55 pm
What is the evolutionary advantage of this?
Is it simply a learned risk management system? Like when we had to prepare for winters, we prepared for worst case scenario and if we had a mild winter, then great, but if we had a bad winter, we were at least prepared?
And now we have taken that learned behavior and just applied it to literally everything nowadays?
But why are some people more pessimistic than others? Why do some have bunkers in their backyard and others don't own a gun and leave their home unlocked at all times?
My theory on this involves how much you fear death, as it appears, at least to me, that we peak in pessimism around middle age, which is when we have our mid life crisis, which is all about panicking about death.
Is it simply a learned risk management system? Like when we had to prepare for winters, we prepared for worst case scenario and if we had a mild winter, then great, but if we had a bad winter, we were at least prepared?
And now we have taken that learned behavior and just applied it to literally everything nowadays?
But why are some people more pessimistic than others? Why do some have bunkers in their backyard and others don't own a gun and leave their home unlocked at all times?
My theory on this involves how much you fear death, as it appears, at least to me, that we peak in pessimism around middle age, which is when we have our mid life crisis, which is all about panicking about death.
16
Posted on 6/4/20 at 12:56 pm to Salmon
Because the older we get the more shite we see and experience.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 12:57 pm to Salmon
Well this thread is going to suck
Posted on 6/4/20 at 12:58 pm to TDsngumbo
quote:
Because the older we get the more shite we see and experience.
But not all of those experience are negative.
And older people, like people approaching death, are generally far more optimistic about life than middle aged people.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 12:59 pm to Salmon
because frick you, that's why 
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:00 pm to Salmon
quote:
My theory on this involves how much you fear death
It’s evolutionary.
1000’s of years ago if a person was walking around and saw a lion on their left and a bunch of ripe fruit on the right, they died if the fruit made a bigger impression on their brain than the lion.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:00 pm to southdowns84
Speak for yourself. My ancestors had roasted lion with a fruit glaze.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:01 pm to Salmon
The gears grind slowly on the big machine.
This post was edited on 6/4/20 at 1:02 pm
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:02 pm to Salmon
Apparently not everyone does. I heard about a few studies on a random podcast that there is a genetic component that dicatates whether people are more prone to optimism or pessimism. The other components would likely be cultural as well as life experiences.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:03 pm to Salmon
quote:
Why do humans default to pessimism?
Because we've seen what humans are capable of doing to each other.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:03 pm to Salmon
quote:
Why do humans default to pessimism?
Safety mechanism to prepare for the worst
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:05 pm to Salmon
Because people are resistant to change. Easier to keep status quo vs. doing something new.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:06 pm to Celery
quote:
I heard about a few studies on a random podcast that there is a genetic component that dicatates whether people are more prone to optimism or pessimism.
I would love to know how genetics affect this. This stuff fascinates me.
quote:
The other components would likely be cultural as well as life experiences.
It seems to me, the more fanatic religious or ideologue types are the most pessimistic.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:08 pm to Salmon
(no message)
This post was edited on 1/11/21 at 12:47 am
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:08 pm to Salmon
quote:
Why do humans default to pessimism?
Because no one gets out of here alive.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:09 pm to Salmon
quote:
What is the evolutionary advantage of this?
I've read a couple of books that argue that this is the exact problem. People haven't been living long enough in these complex and huge societies long enough to evolve into this being their normal habitat and conditions. Essentially we are making decisions without any evolutionary instincts to rely on.
Humans were living in independent bands not very long ago in evolutionary terms
Take that for what its worth, but I found it to be an interesting theory.
This post was edited on 6/4/20 at 1:11 pm
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:11 pm to efrad
quote:
Positive experiences can increase our capacity to love, but no matter how many wonderful experiences I have in my life, I don’t think any of them would make me forget why I have to own a gun for personal protection. They don’t offset the negative experiences like that.
Exactly. Because we default to pessimism. The vast majority of us will never need to use a gun for personal protection, but most of us (at least in the South), do have guns for personal protection.
And that is a very basic risk calculation that I understand, it the ones that take it further that I want to understand.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:13 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
I've read a couple of books that argue that this is the exact problem. People haven't been living long enough in these complex and huge societies long enough to evolve into this being their normal habitat and conditions. Essentially we are making decisions without any evolutionary instincts to rely on.
Humans were living in independent bands not very long ago in evolutionary terms
Oh I absolutely agree with this. We are tribal creatures and what we are seeing today is just basic tribalism.
But instead of fighting over land (which was power back in the day), we are fighting over social power.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:16 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
I've read a couple of books that argue that this is the exact problem.
Sounds like something I'd like to read. Do you remember the titles? I'm currently reading Buddha's Brain.
Posted on 6/4/20 at 1:16 pm to Salmon
quote:
We are tribal creatures and what we are seeing today is just basic tribalism.
And the tribe was small enough that looking out and helping all members of the tribe was worth the work. They provided protection through numbers and giving you help when you needed it. Now that is no longer the case and we the sharing of resources is not a worthy cost/benefit transaction leading to conflicts.
Pretty much, the tribe has gotten too big too fast and we can't figure out how to handle that
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