Dumb Cynics and Genius Optimists

“There are people who are wired to be skeptics and there are people who are wired to be optimists. And I can tell you, at least from the last 20 years, if you bet on the side of the optimists, generally you’re right.” -Marc Andreessen

For whatever reason, we equate cynicism with intellect and optimism with naivety. Just entertain the counterfactual for a moment. What if the cynics are morons and the optimists are geniuses?

History seems to suggest that’s the case.

In the short term, you may look foolish for believing in the upside, but in the long term, it becomes a no-brainer. And who wouldn’t want to be hopeful and smart?