T3 Blog Prompt #3

Recent research has shown that optimism is hard-wired into the brain as an evolutionary trait, and allows human beings to function in the face of failure, rejection, and death. (Time, 6 June 2011) How would the world be different if human beings were not inherently optimistic? Write in SEE format.

I believe that the world would be different if human beings were not inherently optimistic. Being optimistic brings about many advantages like having higher chance of achieving your goals and also have higher chance of surviving.

Firstly, being optimistic allows you to have higher chance of surviving. Research have shown that optimistic cancer patients have better prognosis and outcome than pessimistic patients. One Canadian study showed heart attack victims who remained upbeat about their future were three times less likely to suffer a second attack within a year. This shows that being optimistic allows you to have a higher chance of surviving as it give you the strength to continue fighting to be able to lead a better life. Thus it shows that the world would be different if human beings were not inherently optimistic.

Secondly, being optimistic lets you have higher chance of achieving your goals. Because you are optimistic, when you met with several setbacks, you would not give up but continue striving towards your goal. And also because you are optimistic, you would aim for higher goals, believing that you can make it and so it would push you to work harder to achieve your goals. An example was Thomas Edison, a well known inventor who is known for his positive attitude towards life. Although he did not succeed after many tries, he remained optimistic and finally managed to invent many great inventions like the phonograph and light bulb. Hence this shows that being optimistic lets you have higher change of achieving your goals and also shows that the world would be different if human beings were not inherently optimistic.

In conclusion, I feel that it is very important to remain optimistic as it allows you to have higher chance of surviving and also higher chance of achieving your goals. Without optimism, the world would be different as many people does not have a positive attitude towards live and there would not be much progress in the world.