Contagious Optimism

(See also other keywords)

Mike Davies coined the term Contagious Optimism in our one of our Attainable Utopias workshops in 2003

Be lucky

1. Research has shown that consistently 'lucky' individuals are optimists not pessimists.
2. This is because the 'glass half-full' attitude reveals more unnoticed opportunities (see POUT)
3. In the glass-half empty category, war is perpetual and ineradicable ("you can't change human nature")
4. Listen to this New Normal podcast discussing research into our primate cousins.
5. By taking this idea further we might eventually persuade ourselves to believe in miracles.

Contagious optimism

1. When optimism is often part of this positive feedback process that spreads itself within a given group of people. 
2. We may therefore think of it as 'contagious'. 
3. Contagious optimism creates opportunity

Contagious pessimism

1. Pessimism is also 'contagious', but it usually delivers fewer helpful opportunities. 

Further Reading

• Sloterdijk, P., (1983), 'A Critique of Cynical Reason',
• Surowiecki, J., (2004), 'The Wisdom of Crowds',
• Taleb, N. N. 'The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable' 2007. New York: Random House
• Wiseman, R. (2003). 'The Luck Factor', London, UK: Random House
• Wiseman, R. (2004). 'Did you spot the gorilla? How to recognise hidden opportunities in your life'. London, UK: Random House