From the Editors November 14, 2011 Issue

Keep expecting good

The Editors

The author and humorist Mark Twain offered up this wry definition when it comes to looking on the sunny side: “Optimist: Day-dreamer more elegantly spelled.”  

Let’s face it, optimism has always gotten a bum rap—and these days it’s under extra fire. “Positive thinking” in the face of wars and global economic woes can seem like sticking one’s head in the sand in the face of “reality.” 

But how can we support what many see as the worthy impulse toward optimism? A recent Christian Science Monitor news article addressing unemployment had this headline: “Advice from a job creator: Bring on the optimism” (Richard Sheridan, Sept. 8, 2011), speaking of the need to break the cycle of fear currently keeping businesses from hiring. 

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