Yeah, that's not really optimism. But rhetoric is a powerful thing and can make pessimism seem like optimism, and Shalom knows that. Real optimism is waking up

Yeah, that's not really optimism. But rhetoric is a powerful thing and can make pessimism seem like optimism, and Shalom knows that. Real optimism is waking up and saying "I have hope that this world can be a better place, all I have to do is do my part to be a better person, and be encouraging and inspiring to others that today can be a better day than yesterday." Speaking of rhetoric, is it any wonder why journalism, media, and politics are all pure rhetoric, with no real substance? About 2500 years ago, there was a large group of people who said rhetoric was the path of the future, and a small group that said "the truth" is the real key to a better future. They had a great debate, and the smaller group lost. For losing, the leader of the smaller group had to drink poisoned hemlock.