The optimist will tell you each week why things are great when they really aren’t, and I am going to help you understand why the optimistic viewpoint is almost always wrong.
Some people call it pessimism, but I call it realism. We live in a dark world where bad things happen. People who only want to hear about good things are living in fantasyland.
And being a pessimist isn’t all bad.
Pessimists are almost never disappointed. When you always expect things to go wrong, sometimes they don’t, and it can be a pleasant surprise. The problem with expecting things to go right is that they usually don’t, and then you are unhappy with the fact that an unrealistic outcome didn’t happen.
Take, for example, the service project being done by the Kappa Delta Omegas, or whatever they are. The optimist would think that by giving loose change to panhandling fraternity guys, he or she is helping change the life of unfortunate kids. The optimist walks away sure that his or her money is being used to build a new playground so that kids can play!
The frat guys don’t tell you that there is already a brand new playground a couple blocks away from the proposed site.
They also give you no assurance that every penny collected will be used for the playground. How do we know that none of the money is being pilfered for personal use by those collecting it? We all know college kids can always use a few extra bucks. What’s to stop them?
I definitely don’t trust them based on religious affiliation, so what would lead me to believe any of the money will be used for the playground?
There’s also the issue of having to deal with campus beggars. Nothing bothers me more than outright begging, and having spent several summers in Washington, D.C., I have grown to loathe the feeling of guilt that comes from not wanting to give away your hard-earned money.
So what if they’re only asking for loose change? Loose change can buy things, like a Coke when you’re thirsty or a pack of gum when your breath smells bad. Keep your change, you might need it later. Don’t give your money away and then walk away satisfied that you have done something good.
The chance you have done something that might make a difference in one kid’s life because he had new playground equipment and didn’t have to walk an extra block to play on equally superior equipment is slim at best.
Do kids even use playgrounds anymore?