Several readers have commented on my open declaration of pessimism. They

want to know if having such an attitude doesn’t make it hard to get anything

done.

Of course it does! It’s very hard for us pessimists to accomplish anything,

or just even get through the day without having to lie down for a couple of

hours. As Basil Fawlty — one of us — was wont to remark: “What’s the

bloody point?” I tell you, it’s a fight to just get out of bed every

morning. But that’s life, here under the sign of Saturn.

We gloomsters have some life advantages over you silly optimists (or

“smilers,” as we call you behind your backs). Most obviously, we are never

disappointed. Furthermore, our lives are stress free, since we never have

to worry about whether things will turn out as we hope. They won’t. Not

ever. Fuhgeddaboutit.