I came across this BBC article and found it to be affirming of my chosen state of being. My inclination to share it here should in no way be taken as a slight by any specific member(s). Apparently being pessimistic causes one to be more measured in life: Cranks may be superior negotiators, more discerning decision-makers and cut their risk of having a heart attack. Cynics can expect more stable marriages, higher earnings and longer lives – though, of course, they’ll anticipate the opposite. Conversely, being the eternal optimist comes at a price: ...sapping your drive, dimming attention to detail and making you simultaneously gullible and selfish. Positivity is also known to encourage binge drinking, overeating and unsafe sex. [I really don't know about this last line, but I'm not a professional author.] While the article extolled the creative benefits of anger (referring to the accomplishments of grudge-holding Newton and tantrum-throwing Beethoven), she admonished that at some point there's gotta be an outlet...that pent-up anger in the long run is not a good thing. So I guess the moral of this story is that being cantankerous is a good thing, as long as you act on it (or act it out.)
I have been a curmudgeon for most of my life. Not sure it is a good thing. I drive my family away by repeating myself. I liked heavy lifting. Maybe that was my outlet. Anger was my driving force but no one knows what I was angry about. Now sitting watching tv, living vicariously seems to work. Wait, you said pays?
Cranks may be superior negotiators, more discerning decision-makers and cut their risk of having a heart attack. Cynics can expect more stable marriages, higher earnings and longer lives – though, of course, they’ll anticipate the opposite. Somehow I doubt all that. All I see that they do is make their wives, children and everybody around them miserable.
Fixed it Although as I read the article, I could already envision next week's "Stress Kills" edition going to press. Yeh, it's a dumb premise.