Is it better for people to be realistic or optimistic? - Feedback

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

In many circumstances, optimism-the expectation that one's ideas and plans will always turn out for the best-is unwarranted. In these situations what is needed is not an upbeat view but a realistic one. There are times when people need to take a tough-minded view of the possibilities of success, give up, and invest their energies elsewhere rather than find reasons to continue to pursue the original project or idea.

Adapted from Martin E. P. Seligman, Learned Optimism
Assignment:
Is it better for people to be realistic or optimistic? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Everyone dreams of reaching the zenith of success. By keeping the fire of hope and optimism alive, one can achieve all the impossibilities. Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed a thousand times, I have just learnt a thousand different materials that cannot be used to make a light bulb."

When Barak Obama became the first black president, it was not reason and being pragmatic that brought him to the White House. It was hope, constant persistence and sanguinity. Because of his hard work, across the world people believe that change can happen, life can turn out the way we want it to if we have the optimism for it.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was like any ordinary person. But he made himself different because he had a dream that he turned into reality with his constant optimism and his ability to encourage and inspire the people around the world. He was able to lead an entire nation towards independence. With his ideals of Ahimsa and Satyagraha, he became a Mahatma. Many such as Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson Mandela, Dalia Lama, joined Mahatma Gandhi in spreading his ideologies.

What is life without its optimism? Every cloud has a silver lining; one just needs to spot that cloud. As Cecelia Adhern insists, "Shoot for the moon and if you miss you'll still be among the stars."

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Its good to be optimistic, but to a certain point. Unrealistic optimism can result in disappointment.
I think you should stress on the balance between being realistic and optimistic.

I really like the last paragraph.. :)

I like it! I see no errors in the writing, and your argument is pretty good. However, it seems like you are talking about "passion" rather than optimism. Strictly speaking, all optimists and pessimists are also striving to be realistic. For the optimist, what seems realistic is skewed in one direction, and for a pessimist it is skewed in the other.

Everyone dreams of reaching the zenith of success. By keeping the fire of hope and optimism alive, one can achieve all the impossibilities. Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed a thousand times, I have just learnt a thousand different materials that cannot be used to make a light bulb." --- this sounds more like perseverance than optimism.

I think you should add 2 more sentences to the first paragraph so the reader really understands the point you are making.

:-)

Hey Kevin,
I added a few lines to the opening paragraph -

Optimism, I feel, is the driving force of life. It not only makes your goal look achievable but also propels you into actually realizing them. By keeping the fire of hope and optimism alive, one can overcome all the impossibilities and achieve the highest goals. Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed a thousand times, I have just learnt a thousand different materials that cannot be used to make a light bulb."

Thanks!

Goals----> "them"
It not only makes your goals look achievable, but also propels you into actually realizing them.

yes! This is indeed a good argument. I was criticizing you a little for using optimism to mean something like "perseverance" or "passion," but here you have successfully shown a connection between optimism and these qualities. When optimism makes a goal seem attainable, it increases the likelihood that you will go out and achieve something.