The Practicality of Pessimism

My friend Linda sent me this video of Tim Ferriss, author of The Four-Hour Work Week:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/category/presentations/

Though the title, "The Practicality of Pessimism" is catchy, the video basically says to name your fears so that they're not so powerful. He includes this quote from Mark Twain: "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." Similarly, there is also an old African adage that says, "All things that make noise at the side of the road, do not enter the road." I love that saying. I use it often.

Ferris talks about Cato, the ancient Stoic, who wore clothes that were out of style in his day so that he could learn to be ashamed of only the things that were truly shameful, and ignore the things that others would simply have low opinions of. It's strangely comforting, in a way, to think that the folks in the 65 BC were just as concerned as we are now with judgmental glances from strangers. The more things change, the more things stay the same.

I suppose the point is that there will always be something that will garner a disapproving stare: a laugh too loud, an outfit showing too much skin, or perhaps even braces. So laugh too loud anyway. Show off your *ass*ets and smile when you wear the braces. This is the practicality of pessimism indeed.