WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

GOT OPTIMISM? THE WORLD'S LEADING THINKERS SEE GOOD NEWS AHEAD

While conventional wisdom tells us that things are bad and getting worse, scientists and the science-minded among us see good news in the coming years. That's the bottom line of an outburst of high-powered optimism gathered from the world-class scientists and thinkers who frequent the pages of Edge, in an ongoing conversation among third culture thinkers (i.e., those scientists and other thinkers in the empirical world who, through their work and expository writing, are taking the place of the traditional intellectual in rendering visible the deeper meanings of our lives, redefining who and what we are.)

The 2007 Edge Question marks the 10th anniversary of Edge, which began in December, 1996 as an email to about fifty people. In 2006, Edge had more than five million individual user sessions.

I am pleased to present the 2007 Edge Question:

What Are You Optimistic About? Why?

The 160 responses to this year's Edge Question span topics such as string theory, intelligence, population growth, cancer, climate and much much more. Contributing their optimistic visions are a who's who of interesting and important world-class thinkers.

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

So What Am I Optimistic About?

Allow me to focus on my personal sphere. Let me count the ways…

I'm optimistic about:

1) Zaadz living up to our purpose and Zaazdsters living up to theirs.

2) ~myDakini

3) embodying the change that I want to see in the world while connecting and meeting people who inspire me to no end.

4) the Rise of Conscious Capitalism.

5) everything Corey S. Powell is optimistic about

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

WHAT I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT…

1) The evolution of Zaadz.  There are just way too many good people here for this site to grow any less than a HUGE center of connection for all CREATIVES around the globe… And thus, we will find our spiritual companions here to manifest that better world we all seek - growing & changing TOGETHER!

2) I am Optimistic that we are all growing wiser about decreasing our individual & collective FOOT PRINTS on this planet, & that we are reaching a point at which we will very quickly & willingly, dramatically reduce our materialistic habits. I am confident that we can do this within New Ways of being Wise Comsumers.

3) I am optimistic that I personally will (am) becoming a wholehearted vegetarian.

4) I am deeply inspired by the HIGH SCHOOL CHALLENGE program I saw on OPRAH recently & I predict that millions of youth will experience that program this year & become dramatically opened to deeper wisdom & compassion in their lives increasing their potential to effectively assist others in dramatic, uplifting changes.

There are many many more events & people that raise my thoughts of optimism but I'll let you folks chime in..:)

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

I answered this on my own blog, but I wanted to share one very, very Zaadzian gem from one of the Edge's contributers.

Eudaemonia: The Third form Of Happiness

Capitalism has become more aligned with the forces of good ( i.e. philanthropy) than greed. As the polarization of wealth peaked over the past decade the press and public became obsessed with “greed is good” meme in the 80s, and the “rules don't apply to the rich” 90s (think Enron, Worldcom, dotcom). However, the real story was brewing and we read it first on Edge and witnessed it in Ted Turner's gift to the UN.

The most successful businesspeople in the world have decided to put their brains and bank accounts toward fixing the world, leaving politics and politicians on the sidelines. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Richard Branson, John Doerr, and Pierre Omidyar — among many others — are demonstrating that the true goal of winning is giving. The brass ring has moved from private aviation and mega-yachts, to making a mega-pledge at Bill Clinton's annual summit.

Edge's ongoing discussions on happiness are clearly documenting (contributing to?) the trend. As psychologist Martin E.P. Seligman noted in his 2004 Edge feature, “Eudaemonia, The Good Life”: “The third form of happiness, which is meaning, is again knowing what your highest strengths are and deploying those in the service of something you believe is larger than you are. There's no shortcut to that. That's what life is about.”

–

Beautiful.

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

Since I'm an eternal “glass 3/4 full” kind of girl, I thought I would answer this one.  =)

1. My optimism springs from a knowing that each and every being on the planet has the ability to touch and know their own divinity.  We all have inside of us the ability to wake up and discover the truth of who we really are and, once we do, we'll recognize that we're all one.  I don't know when it will happen, but I absolutely feel the energy shifting in that direction and know it's 100% possible.
2. I'm optimistic about conscious capitalism.  Everywhere I look, more and more business owners are shifting into greater consciousness and making decisions to positively impact the world.  When given a viable choice, people will choose products/services/websites/etc. that add to the good of the planet.  We just have to keep making them aware of them!
   
3. I'm optimistic about children and their abilities to teach adults how to live from a place of loving & complete acceptance. 
   
4. I'm optimistic about my life.  a) My health - I'm going through many transformations with my body and know they're all in service to my highest good,  b) My business.  As a life coach, I get to be one of those conscious capitalists from above.  Woo hoo!!!  I know that abundance is flowing my way,  c) The ever-expanding love of friends and my perfect partner, who is on his way.

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

Well I'm quite a pessimist!

I'm a pessimist on the outside, but in the inside I'm an optimist.

On the outside: I don't see the world situation going so well, and I don't think it's improving. On the opposite, I think a major confrontation is on it's way!

But deep inside I think it's ok. “It” is not limited by “Us” and “It” will go on, should we manage to make things ok, or not!

So I could say I'm a pessimist on the “making” side, but an optimist on the “beeing” side!

Patrick

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

~
I'm optimistic about:

1) Living up to my purpose and Zaadz living up to theirs  

2) ~6.5+ billion  

3) Multimedia 2007 

4) Equal Exchange of Energy (read Conscious Capitalism) 

5) ~ planetary awakening ~

Re: WHAT ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT?

Thanks for this great post, and for the link.  Will post my answer on my blog with the suggested tag.  Peace, Otter