Pessimism: A valuable protection against quackery.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Pessimism helps protect people from believing in false solutions or frauds.
- In plain terms
- Being skeptical keeps you from falling for scams.
- What can you take from it?
- Use skepticism to avoid being fooled.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does pessimism help you avoid scams?
- When does skepticism become paralyzing?
Another view
Excessive pessimism may also cause you to miss valid opportunities.
More from John Ralston Saul
Panic: A highly underrated capacity thanks to which individuals are able to indicate clearly that something is wrong.... Given their head, most humans panic wi…
Permalink to quote #38 It is the considered opinion of most members of our rational elites that, in any given difference of opinion with reality, reality is wrong.
Permalink to quote #40 Myrmecophaga jubata: The anteater. The existence of this predator demonstrates that thinking 71 percent of the time, as ants do, won't prevent you from being e…
Permalink to quote #37
Related quotes
People accuse us of trying to be glamorous! We don't wear these because we like them. We have to! They're protective gear.
DevoDevo quote #12 Men who content themselves with the semblance of truth, and a display of words, talk much of our obligations to Great Britain for protection. Had she a single …
Samuel AdamsSamuel Adams quote #17 When anyone tells me, that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself, whether it be more probable, that this person should either …
David HumeDavid Hume quote #25