Optimism of College Graduates

For many years, scientists were puzzled by the existence of this unshakable optimism. It did not make sense. How is it that people remain optimistic even though information challenging those predictions is abundantly available? It turns out it is not commencement speeches or self-help books that make us hopeful. Recently, with the development of non-invasive brain imaging techniques, we have gathered evidence that suggests our brains are hard-wired to be unrealistically optimistic. When we learn what the future may hold, our neurons efficiently encode unexpectedly good information, but fail to incorporate information that is unexpectedly bad.
That’s why when we listen to Oprah Winfrey’s rags-to-riches story our brain takes note and concludes that we too may become immensely rich and powerful one day; but when told the likelihood of being unemployed is almost 1 in 10 or of suffering from cancer is over 1 in 3 we take no notice.
Such optimistic illusions, with all of their advantages, unfortunately come at a price. Underestimating risk makes us less likely to practice safe sex, save for retirement, buy insurance or undergo medical screenings.
In some cases relatively minor biases can even lead to global disaster. Take the financial crisis of 2008. Each investor, homeowner, banker or economic regulator expected slightly better profits than were realistically warranted. On its own, each bias would not have created huge losses. Yet when combined in one market they produced a giant financial bubble that did just that.

PARADOX

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings,but shorter tempers;

Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;

We spend more, but have less,

We buy more but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families;

More conveniences, but less time;

We have more degrees, but less sense;

More knowledge, but less judgement;

More experts, but less solutions;

More medicines, but less wellness.

We have multiplied possessions, but reduced out values.

We talk too much, love seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;

We’ve added years to life, not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,

But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.

We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space;

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;

We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals;

We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

There are times of tall men, and short character;

Steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;

More leisure, but less fun;

More kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce;

Of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time where there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom.

This is the time when technology brings this passage to you,

And have the choice to share unto others,

What you have learned up to this day.