Pragmatism (practical realism) has been getting a bad rap for a pretty long time. Although there’s hardly anything as tasteless as an overtly artificial display of enthusiam, that’s exactly what is being elicited in all phases of our lives.
In the workplace, everybody wants a “go-getter with a positive attitude.” In spite of the fact that the company has laid off 75% of the sales force and we’re in the middle of a recession/depression, the “surviving” staff are all going to need to be “team players” to “meet those sales goals!” A pragmatist at the helm would consider the economy and lower the goals accordingly to keep them within reach so as to motivate the already-nervous sales force while at the same time having realistic metrics to use for planning–but don’t let the boardroom hear that, because America isn’t about lowering goals. The company has very likely already announced that there will be no raises or bonuses this year, but that’s no reason for you to not give 150%–right? (Nobody pushes a sale harder than a hungry salesperson who can’t sleep at night because there’s no chance their goals can be met.)
Too bad you can’t get PAID for that extra 50% of “team spirit” effort, because that could have helped meet the 150% of their household incomes that American optimists have been spending for 50-odd years. Happy Days! Charge it! No down payment! Don’t worry, be happy. $2,000 cash back! Everything will work out. No guts, no glory; climb out on that limb. Trickle down! Buy now, pay later. Failure is not an option.
As the country is finding out, sometimes there is, in fact, no other option, and we have been just a little too willing to look away for too long from the consequences of being too positive. According to Newton’s Third Law of Physics, for every force there is an equal and opposite force. What goes up must come down. Did we think this only applied to physical things with gravity? Sadly, it also includes the stock market, the banks, and real estate. Pragmatists, who have had their assets parked in Credit Union CD’s (modest income, no losses, and still safer than under the mattress) and would prefer not to gamble, understand that sooner or later, the markets will work their way back up.
Right now these practical folk are not running around like Chicken Little, squawking that “the sky is falling!”–they are taking proactive action to soften the blow in case the waves of the unemployment tsunami crash upon their shore: since realism and common sense prevented them from buying into a too-expensive house with zero down in the first place, they have a bit of equity and as such are among the most qualified to refinance at today’s current low rates, with possibly enough to pay off a car loan or create a rainy-day fund, substantially cutting their monthly obligations to offset a possible layoff or other setback. Just in case. (Because you’re certainly not going to qualify to refinance after you end up without a job.) How does quietly pragmatic sound now?
How many articles have you read about people who have beaten cancer, lost weight, finished the Boston Marathon with two broken legs and a rubber crutch, due to their upbeat attitudes?
I don’t mean to belittle grace in the face of adversity as not being inspirational. In fact, I think it deserves its place as something fine, rare, and noble. It’s worth hearing about, reading about, and being uplifted and inspired. But let’s save that admiration for acts that are worthy of it.
Do you really believe that bringing doughnuts to the staff meeting is going to give you any protection?
Is it really negative to simply be realistic? Unglamorous, yes. Not cutting edge. Not driving the red convertible Beemer or even wanting a pair of Jimmie Choos. But comfortable–and honest. If something hurts, you shouldn’t be penalized and branded a pessimist for saying “ouch.” If you see the possibility of something adverse coming toward you, don’t bury your head in the politically-correct sand of optimism (which too often shares the same family tree as denial). And yet, don’t curl up in that fetal ball that is the logo of pessimism, either. Think of what you can do ahead of the setback, to help you be better prepared for it.
Are you discouraged because you can’t find work, along with a few hundred thousand others? Well, repress that! You’re bound be told to stop being so negative–the perfect job is just around the corner. This is pessimism in an optimistic sheep’s clothing; it is how someone blows off your very real concerns because they themselves aren’t (yet) in the same boat and are uncomfortable discussing it. A pragmatic friend would give honest advice: these aren’t regular times–go ahead and take that lower-paying or part-time job to help make ends meet–yes, you will have to work to get your career back on track when the economy stabilizes, but you’ll be in good company; plus, being visible within the work force is your best chance to get wind of other opportunities; and bringing home less is still bringing home something. Dump the premium cable package for basic; stop texting and paying for it, and cut the kids off, too. Network with friends and former co-workers to get your foot in the door in advance of a job posting.
Consider the pragmatists as the Little Engines That Persevere–they didn’t expect to get something for nothing, and lived accordingly. They saw the wisdom in the adage, “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” We need to stop waiting for things to “get back to normal,” and apply ourselves to understanding that “normal” is going to have to be redefined.
While it may be said that the optimist sees the glass as half-full, and the pessimist sees it half-empty, it is the pragmatist who realizes that it doesn’t make any difference whether the glass is half-empty or half-full, if the glass is a urine specimen to begin with.
