I think a lot of people forget that realism is a thing
It’s like a lot of people I’ve met assume I’m a pessimist, because in their mind, there’s only pessimism and optimism. don’t even get me started on bierasure though.
If you, yourself, identify as a realist and are having a hard time explaining it to someone who wants to label you as a pessimist, perhaps consider explaining it like this:
the lottery
the optimist says, “If I keep playing, I might be able to win.”
the pessimist says, “I know I’ll never win, so there’s no point in playing.”
the realist says, “I know my chances of winning are low, but it’s worth a try.”
I’m just tired of being accused of being a pessimist because I acknowledge that everything isn’t kittens and rainbows and “it’ll get better.” no, sometimes it doesn’t get better. sometimes it gets worse. yeah, things can get less worse. of course.
I’m still really considering getting, “A pessimist is what an optimist calls a realist” tattooed on me somewhere, because that is one of the most relatable quotes I have ever heard