How cynical a person would you say you are?
 

You never know how many people actually have an interest in having these random personality-psychology tidbits thrown in the firing line for discussion every other white moon but there we are.

Are you fundamentally more of a cynic or an optimist?

It depends on the topic for me.

I'm a pessimist when it comes to Politics.

But I'm optimistic when it comes to Birmingham City Football Club, even this season just gone, I was optimistic that we'd stay up, and I'm optimistic that we will get back to the Championship next season.

And other topics vary.

I do come across as paranoid to some at times (not randomly; to people who know me) but yeah. There’s a reason for that, and I have had a lot of bad luck. I try and see the good in things and situations and in that sense I would say I’m fairly balanced but I’ve just gotta be realistic. And, again, it’s the balance between the good and bad. I’ve been having that discussion with someone recently (they know who they are). I’m going through a random unlucky situation right now but I’m just hoping it goes in my favour. Viewed through a reasonable lens it has no reason not to.

In many ways I’ve been born to lucky circumstances but it’s easy to lose track of that when you’ve been in the thick of really dark experiences for at least 17 years and bad things just keep happening to you: I’m lucky in some ways but the furthest thing from it in many other areas. I guess I’m just resilient.

You get really beefed up on this business of Birmingham City F.C., don’t ya, buddy?

Probably too much tbh.:joker:

It’s alright. People like me get beefed on experiences and this feeling of constant bad luck and that just can’t do us any favours compared to something light and easy like footie. Like, it’s not that deep but it can be a little deep if you want it to be and that’s fine. Being a passive Reds fan (in other words I’m not super into football but being from Liverpool and, like, so not an Evertonian … ya) I’ve been directly exposed to the thick of Scouse beefing over footie and the optimism vs. pessimism over the whole thing (you try and stay hopeful either way, and the Reds are actually very good in fairness).

The funny thing is I’m actually distant cousins with quite a few footballers (including one who used to play for Everton) but I ain’t never rocked with footie like that. I only really like athletics, wrestling and boxing as far as sports go but even then not enough for cynicism vs. optimism to be an element in the game from my side. Just enough to make a John Bradshaw-Layfield remark. Used to drive one of my boys mad with that one on da GameCube.

That's more than fair.

Tbh my love of Football in general is quite diminished nowadays, I only really care about Blues really.

Like England could lose the Euros for all I care, and I'm being serious about that, I just don't really care about the team tbh.

And yeah Liverpool are a very good team, I think that Klopp will be a big loss to them though, but hopefully I'm wrong about that.

And one of your Cousins played for Everton? He must've been a decent player then.

But, like, a person can have all the richness and inherited genuine cultural wealth in the world but have had five miscarriages and still be trusting God for the fruit of the womb. They might’ve been optimistic up-until the fourth miscarriage but at that point you’re crying into your pillow every night if you’re like 7 out of 10 expectant mums who just can’t conceive. That’s natural cynicism that inherited luck can’t eliminate.

Do you stadium-watch matches much, Mocky-lad?

When I was younger I would attend some matches here or there.

Nowadays though it's too expensive to go down from my perspective, and obviously I'd never guilt trip my Dad to spend money on luxury trips like attending what was Championship Football.

I will check to see if Blues will lower the prices for next season though.

I am an optimistic realist.

Instead of a swear jar, I have a negativity jar. Every time I have pessimistic thoughts, I
put a quid in...







It’s currently half empty...

Pessimistic realist. Which is really just a well-informed optimist.

Took a minute, but this was my first real LOL of the day.