liveonearth | Interesting person on LJ

theheretic is a type I diabetic and former science fiction writer. I was wandering around in his journal and it is full of great ideas and interesting thoughts about our future and human nature.

Here's a quote from the middle of an entry about why he is alive, which in a word, is "insulin":

Optimism is a terrible evil, one of the greatest ever, imho. Like religion or shame. It is a destructive creation meant to enslave. Its very hard to explain why unless you're a serious pessimist like me. Optimism has positive results, but the negative ones are maddeningly squashed and ignored. People don't learn when they're optimists. They just keep thrashing around until they're dead. And usually, after they've infected more idiots with optimism so they'll die too. Peasants aren't optimists, they're just realistic about their odds of survival and accept an early death as the cost of being alive at all. If we were less greedy for comforts, and less optimistic, we'd have avoided the pitfalls that have already doomed our civilization, and will send people like me off to a painful death.

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Yes, I know well how you see the world. We've had the discussion many times.

I suppose I could be viewed as a pessimist in some ways, as I do think things are pretty fucked up and I"m not sure what we can do about it... I am optimistic about my own survival skills, optimistic that if we have worldwide disaster and a huge population die-off, that the human race will prevail... optimistic that hard work and perseverance pay off.

I'm just not sure that my optimism should put me into the class of "idiot" because I have the ability and desire to believe that things are possible. I'm not worried about what happens if we run out of oil, if the power goes out, if the grocery store ceases to exist, because I hold optimism that I have the survival skills to get by. Then again, I am well aware that I don't represent the majority of the population in this country, and most people would suffer far more than I in the event of the Big Emergency that you're so certain will happen (I'm not convinced we will see it in our lifetimes).

If I told people what I think about many things, they'd think I was a nut. So I keep it close to the cuff, just like you. I'm sure many people would find my ideas incredibly offensive.

LOL. You're no idiot and if we get stuck on the words pessimist and optimist we're missing a big chunk of the story. Any one label can't tell the whole story about a person.

I think what happens too often is that realists are labeled pessimists by those who don't want to see the truth. It isn't that I think nothing can go right, but rather I see the position we are in as a civilization, and as a species, and it's pretty desperate. If we don't admit it, we're fools. If we do admit it, we're "pessimists".

Of course some people will survive---those who are stubborn and hardworking AND located in a place/situation that allows them to survive. Those who plan ahead and relocate suitably will do best. I know that you see the changes coming, and you are planning your path forward carefully.

The heretic names himself appropriately, and uses his journal to vent all those thoughts that are terribly offensive to many. You are more willing to share your personal tale in an introspective style. I thrive on both of you. I just hope you don't tick each other off too much. =-]

I have discovered that my own predictions seem to be the best ones that I get. I keep proving myself right, not really wanting to be right, but finding that the writing really was on the wall. The heretic said in something I read that he much prefers to be wrong. I do too. It's far more interesting.

I'm glad every time you pipe up about what you really do think.

I found his responses to my comments to be enlightening and informative. And I agree, getting stuck on semantics leaves out most of the story.

You know I'm not very good at philosophical discussion, at least not in electronic forums, so thanks for letting me try in your journal. :-)

You amaze me with your predictions. I wish I could see the world as clearly and have as good an understanding of things as you do. I'm getting there, slowly.

Interesting person on LJ

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