Edit: I initially wrote a more detailed response that I accidentally posted prematurely. But this pessimism vs optimism explanation is quite interesting and after trying to hastily revise my comment, I think I’ll have to reflect on it a bit more and likely pick your brain if you don’t mind later.
It’s definitely an overly simplistic explanation, but as someone at the intersection between these two cultures it seems useful.
As I references in the footnote, it’s not a new thing at all. There’s a fascinating theory (although I can’t remember who to credit or what to call it) that you can’t evolve self-awareness without the optimism bias because you’d end up with crippling depression/anxiety and not get around to spreading your genes.
But if you evolve the optimism bias without self-awareness you’re likely to get eaten :D
There’s also a whole school of Pessimist philosophy you might find interesting (or if you’re an optimist, disturbing).
Edit: I initially wrote a more detailed response that I accidentally posted prematurely. But this pessimism vs optimism explanation is quite interesting and after trying to hastily revise my comment, I think I’ll have to reflect on it a bit more and likely pick your brain if you don’t mind later.
Sure :)
It’s definitely an overly simplistic explanation, but as someone at the intersection between these two cultures it seems useful.
As I references in the footnote, it’s not a new thing at all. There’s a fascinating theory (although I can’t remember who to credit or what to call it) that you can’t evolve self-awareness without the optimism bias because you’d end up with crippling depression/anxiety and not get around to spreading your genes.
But if you evolve the optimism bias without self-awareness you’re likely to get eaten :D
There’s also a whole school of Pessimist philosophy you might find interesting (or if you’re an optimist, disturbing).