An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight . . . the truly wise person is colorblind.
Albert Schweitzer
A nice quote and one that follows our color theme. it also starts off like it's a joke (although Albert wasn't much of a humorist). By starting off with green light and then going on to red light we're primed to expect something funny involving amber. However, Albert wasn't trying to be funny and so, although his conclusion isn't expected, it isn't witty but rather thoughtful. What he's saying is that wisdom isn't one dimensional. The wise man doesn't always assume it's go go go no matter the situation and he also doesn't assume defeat in all circumstances. Rather, he can't tell if the light is red or green and hence has to figure out what's needed on the basis of the facts and his experience and insight. The wise don't trot out a knee jerk response whenever there's a problem – he leaves that to the foolish and those blinded by petrified ideologies.
When you think an answer is obvious, an immediate no-brainer, take a moment to consider the alternatives anyway. At worst, you increase your confidence in your initial inclination and, at best, see that there just might be a better way to go.
But wait – I can't leave it there. That quote really was crying out for a joke. How about this?
An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight. . . The truly wise person therefore avoids intersections at all costs.
Rimshot!
What's nice about these "optimist/pessimist" gags are the variations you can make. Here's a final one:
An optimist is someone who sees the glass as half full. A pessimist sees the glass as half empty. And an engineer sees a glass that's been over-designed by a factor of two.
- And that's today's word from the bird
An Optimist sees the green of go, the Pessimist sees only the red of stop. At least the pessimist is seeing the world through rose colored glasses…..
My favourite optimist/pessimist quote:
There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass! — Sir Terry Pratchett
An opportunist drinks all your water while you're pondering over how much you have.
To an alcoholic, the whole point is moot unless it's half full of booze, but then it's always half full for about three seconds.
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