James Page

Sydney, Australia

I am optimistic about things that, at first, may not seem reason to be optimistic about.
I am optimistic about the world going down the crapper… The reason i am optimistic about this is because i believe that in order for us to be truly idealistic about our world and thus optimistic about our future, we [...]

Ed Tam

Shanghai, China

I’m optimistic about the future.
All the problems that we face today are created by people. In this world there is no lack of resource, talent or money. The is only a shortage we have is of of will.
Which is nice because we can control that. We can affect the will and motivation of our children [...]

Elizabeth Thomas

Quincy, Illinois

I’m an optimist somewhat by temperament, but more by choice because I believe that to be otherwise flies in the face of human evolution. Life on earth for any organism is brutal and chaotic, more so for us because of our deep mixture of cognitive and emotional abilities. If I were to simply accept chaos [...]

Steph Walker

San Diego, California

I am optimistic that art will become more participatory without compromising quality.
I am optimistic that my move to New York will provide me with great opportunity and life experience.
I am optimistic that this administration will positively change our country and the rest of the world.
I am optimistic that I will be happy with the decisions [...]

Brett Orloff

Copenhagen, Denmark

I’m optimistic because I see so much goodness in people around me. When I give a smile, I get a bigger one back. And in the end, only kindness matters anyway. So let’s seek the goodness and not emphasize the negative. The world just might change for the best.

Brett claims to be one of the [...]

Joanna Notkin

Montreal, Canada

I am optimistic because I see how every unfolding moment is an amazing gift. If in one moment we go from alive to dead, then each existing moment become pivotal. In one moment of time, we can do anything and we can change anything. When we think this way, even doing the dishes takes on [...]

Levent Ali

London, England

I’m optimistic that the regained enthusiasm and passion I have for my work will stay with me. I’m optimistic that the people who touched me at the European Ruby Conference in Barcelona have positively changed the course of my life forever.

Levent is a software engineer for ESP. He likes to program in ruby, is an [...]

Gavin Heaton

Sydney, Australia

In my 20s I believed that we had reached the end of history.
I believed the mighty wheel of power had fashioned the foreseeable future.
I was wrong.
In minutes, I saw crowds claw apart the Berlin Wall.
I saw a man stand in front of a tank in the middle of Tiannenmen Square.
I felt a world of courage [...]

Jessica Berta

New York, New York

As long as worms rise to the sidewalk after a rainstorm, I’ll be reminded that tragedy eventually gives way to comedy.
I’m hopeful we will learn to take ourselves less seriously.
Optimism means laughing and smiling and hushing the voices of doubt and disbelief…at least long enough to get them to listen.
Optimism is resilient. It outruns despair. [...]

Stephanie Chase

Morrisville, Vermont

As the mother of two young boys, I am optimistic that the world will be a better place when they are grown than it is now — kinder, more responsible, and more responsive.
As a librarian, I am optimistic that this will come to fruition through the power of information. When there is no sand on [...]

Fredrik Särnblad

Singapore

Optimism to me is an infectious attitude to life: a powerful force capable of changing our world for the better. And whilst optimism won’t solve any world problems in and by itself, I believe it’s a prerequisite for progress by and of humanity. I’m optimistic that the world’s collective optimism today, despite the state of [...]

Toby Daniels

New York, New York

I am optimistic about my generation’s ability to fight through adversity, be creative, make smart decisions and be value not materially driven.
These guys get it:
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
“The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.” – Harry Golden
“You can’t run away from trouble. There ain’t no place [...]

Faris Yakob

New York, New York

There are lots of things to be cheerful about now – thank you Ian Drury.
Everything is awesome – sometimes we forget how awesome.
Everything’s Amazing, Nobody’s Happy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus
I think there will even more things to be cheerful about in the future.
I’m a meliorist.I believe that we are getting better, that we are improving ourselves.
I believe that [...]

Neil Perkin

London, England

I am optimistic (but a little scared) about being able to run a marathon in April.
I am optimistic that the power of the web to organise without organisation is fundamentally a good thing
I am optimistic that the coming generation of media and advertising graduates will take less notice of the way things have always been [...]

Jack Loveless

Medford, Massachusetts

As a scientist, I have been filled with great hope through Barack Obama’s campaign, cabinet selection period, inauguration address, and first few weeks in office, as he has made choices and spoken words that demonstrate his high regard for science. We are living in an unprecidented time at which science and society are intimately [...]