Comments on: Obama Has Me Feeling Down

By: The Tin Man » Political Grief

The Tin Man » Political Grief — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:58:39 +0000

[...] this instance I’ve decided to take Dan’s advice and expect the worst. The Massachusetts Senate seat is lost, and health care reform is probably [...]

By: Cataline

Cataline — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:50:48 +0000

Given the way things are going, you’re entitled to be disappointed. So be disappointed!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:46:13 +0000

That’s just the thing: you can only be disappointed if your expectations are not met. A pessimist can never be disappointed.

By: Tin Man

Tin Man — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:40:28 +0000

I find expecting the worst to be unhelpful and a big downer. It’s like saying, “Would I rather be disappointed in advance, or disappointed later?” That’s not a fun way to live.

The best thing to do is to have no expectations at all. Don’t expect. Clear your mind of it. Focus on the present.

The western world could use a dose of Zen.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:12:00 +0000

Another option is to revise your expectations. If you expect the worst, you’ll be prepared if the worst happens and anything else that happens will seem better by comparison. It’s only if one expects “hope” and “change” and rainbows and magic ponies and the like that one is likely to be disappointed.

I blame Obama and Reid, too, but they are only symptoms of the disease, not the disease itself. The Democratic Party, heck, American liberals in general, suck. There’s no way to avoid that conclusion. They do not have the courage or the discipline to resist the authoritarians of the right.