The Viewpoint of Pessimism and Optimism

Long time ago, when China was split into many small countries, there was a merchant who lived in Song, a country in northern China. He took men's hat and shirt to Yue, a country in southern China, thought that he could reap a great profit.

The merchant shouted, "Come on, buy a new clothing here ! I have beautiful dan fashionble shirts and hats !"

However, the way of dressing for the men in Yue country were keeping their hair short and tattooed their upper body without dressing. They did not wear a shirt or hat.

Hence, the merchant wrote a letter to his wife, "A great catastrophe. No man here wearing a shirt or hat. They are shirtless. I will go home soon."

Then, there were another merchant from Zheng (another country in the northern China) which also carried men's shirts and hats to trade in the Yue country.

The new merchant shouted, "Hey, come here and buy a new dress and hat ! Also beautiful fashion accessories are available."

He also realized that the habit of man in Yue country was shirtless.

Yue's man said, "We are never wear a shirt or a hat here."

The merchant replied, "That's exactly why I come here."

"Great ! A new territory for selling clothing and hats", said the merchant.

Then, he also wrote a letter to his wife in Zheng.

"No men wear a shirt or hat here. Please send a large number of shirts and hats to Yue by mail."

Under the same circumstances, the viewpoint of pessimism and optimism are very opposite. Everything is usually not absolutely good or bad, beautiful or ugly. How do we perceive it ? What will we do ? It's entirely depends on ourselves.