Philosophy Now Forum

Can you always think positive, or should you, possibly because it's not realistic to do so?

PhilX

You absolutely should!

The collapse of the wave function (double slit experiment) shows that our observing creates our reality, and an experiment with meditation suggests strongly that even our attention has an impact:

https://physics.stackexchange.com/quest ... mes-of-the

Many many people experience that a positive attitude improves their lives, while a negative attitude sends them into a downwards spiral. I do not believe that is coincidental. You actually do create your own happiness.

A negative, hateful attitude opens the door for evil to possess mind and body.

Walker wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 7:10 pm A negative, hateful attitude opens the door for evil to possess mind and body.

Evil is a bit gloomy. Maybe sentimentality is a better word. Many people deal with that, and it's not evil, just annoying.

A negative, hateful attitude opens the door for evil to possess mind and body.
Evil is a bit gloomy. Maybe sentimentality is a better word. Many people deal with that, and it's not evil, just annoying.

Evil can mean extremely harmful to humans. No need to be so bigoted, if I may say so, with respect to all that rings of the western tradition.


Should one "think positive"? Can one? I would say we are limited very severely by our characters. However, if it were good to "think positive", one might do it as much or as little as one's nature allows. Is it good? I'm not sure, can you give one example? The question is too vague and general to bring out the difficulties or to think one way or another about it without excessive assumptions about what is meant.

Troll wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 3:41 am

A negative, hateful attitude opens the door for evil to possess mind and body.
Evil is a bit gloomy. Maybe sentimentality is a better word. Many people deal with that, and it's not evil, just annoying.

Evil can mean extremely harmful to humans. No need to be so bigoted, if I may say so, with respect to all that rings of the western tradition.


Should one "think positive"? Can one? I would say we are limited very severely by our characters. However, if it were good to "think positive", one might do it as much or as little as one's nature allows. Is it good? I'm not sure, can you give one example? The question is too vague and general to bring out the difficulties or to think one way or another about it without excessive assumptions about what is meant.

Many of my questions are general or "vague" as you would put it. This is to help generate discussion and explore different topics.

PhilX

One can't really agree or disagree without something more exact. I think you will sink in vapid answers, if one assumes to know what you mean each in their own airy think tank. That is what philosophy, as Platonic dialectic, is for, ascending from the ordinary vagueness of the airhead. And only then, after long circumlocutions, perhaps, retracing to it in the diaphanous white clouds of wonder.

What do you mean by "think positive"? I find this, a strange, if commonplace, notion. That I should focus on the possibility that you sieze the chance to philosophize according to the style of a Socrates!?

Philosophy Explorer wrote:
Can you always think positive or should you possibly because it is not realistic to do so

Pragmatic thinking is better than positive thinking because pragmatism actually works
While positive thinking is a good thing it will not always result in the desired outcome

In therapies people are invited to get in touch with the repressed material in their minds.
The goal is to become more free and happy.

Could it be that positive thinking is soul-destroying because negative emotions are not allowed to surface ?

I'm having a rather Jordan Peterson view on this. The shit is out there and keeps coming. There are no positive opposite of "catastrophy", most positive things we have to create for ourselves(Well, nature in May in Scandinavia is definitely a plus). But we have to make the world a good place.