Timeline for Is there a pessimistic counterpart to the term "Pollyanna"?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
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| Jun 1, 2020 at 15:44 | history | edited | Deepak | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Mar 6, 2020 at 16:25 | comment | added | CCTO | I actually think that Cassandra is exactly the canonical "opposite" of Pollyanna, and a quick google of "Cassandra or Pollyanna" shows many references in essays and literature. Eeyore is depressive and pessimistic at a personal level but Cassandra is open-eyed to risks at a strategic level, so they're kind of in different spheres. | |
| Mar 5, 2020 at 15:34 | comment | added | Peteris | There's a bit of a contrast, because Pollyanna applies to being optimistic and hopeful no matter if these hopes actually get fulfilled or not, but Cassandra is applicable if and only if the predictions are actually accurate and become true. If someone objects to Cassandras gloomy predictions, they're being overly optimistic, because Cassandra's prophecies aren't just realistic (i.e. possible and plausible) but reflect what will happen. | |
| Mar 5, 2020 at 9:02 | comment | added | Deepak | @Graham Fair point, which is why I tried to include those nuances in the answer. While a Pollyanna would be inclined to have a falsely positive view of a situation, a Cassandra would be inclined to have a truly negative view of the same. And the latter view would be realistic (hence "true") in keeping with the nature of Cassandra's prophetic gift/curse. | |
| Mar 5, 2020 at 8:36 | comment | added | Graham | I thought that too. The twist on Cassandra is that she's not entirely pessimistic - she's a realist in a world of Pollyannas. Which for climate change is depressingly accurate. | |
| Mar 4, 2020 at 15:42 | history | answered | Deepak | CC BY-SA 4.0 |