“i find nothing more depressing than optimism.”
Paul Fussell (1924–2012) Recipient of the Purple Heart medal
From the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/arts/design/03kool.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Rem+Koolhaas&st=nyt&oref=slogin article on Koolhaas and Dubai appearing March 3rd, 2008. Available here:
“i find nothing more depressing than optimism.”
Paul Fussell (1924–2012) Recipient of the Purple Heart medal
Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American architect, systems theorist, author, designer, inventor and futurist
From 1980s onwards, Only Integrity is Going to Count (1983)
Context: I find the audiences very excited. But then they come and say to me, "Your optimism has brushed off on me. I didn't know we had an option. I feel so much better." They say, "Your optimism." And I am not optimistic or pessimistic. I feel that optimism and pessimism are very unbalanced. I am a very hard engineer. I am a mechanic. I am a sailor. I am an air pilot. I don't tell people I can get you across the ocean with my ship unless I know what I'm talking about.
Kamila Shamsie (1973) Pakistani writer
Source: On balancing pessimism and optimism in “Kamila Shamsie: 'We have to find reasons for optimism’” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/08/kamila-shamsie-we-have-to-find-reasons-for-optimism-home-fire in The Guardian (2018 Jun 8)
“I don’t believe in optimism. I believe in optimal behavior. That’s a different thing.”
Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) American writer
The Paris Review interview (2010)
“Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.”
Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937) Italian writer, politician, theorist, sociologist and linguist
Variant: Pessimism of the spirit; optimism of the will.