I can think of no divining rod more aptly suited to sussing out the nature of an individual than the measure of his or her optimism. In the answer lie clues to values, aspirations and fears rarely revealed through questions of a more direct nature.

By the same measure, the picture painted by our collective optimism is a dense and revealing one; a view of those things to which we commonly aspire, and a glimpse into the distinctions between us – which are quite often far different than those purported to exist.

The Optimist Conspectus is simply a survey of optimism; a series of answers to a deceptively-simple question: What are you optimistic about?

It bears no commercial viability. It has no lofty world-changing goal. Rather, it is a series of snapshots that aim to paint a larger picture. How that picture looks will depend both literally and figuratively on your own perspective – and whether you choose to provide one.

- Ian Fitzpatrick, March, 2009

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