"Optimists may accomplish more than realists, realists certainly accomplish more than pessimists, but optimists do many times as much damage. For example, nearl

"Optimists may accomplish more than realists, realists certainly accomplish more than pessimists, but optimists do many times as much damage. For example, nearly all "revolutionaries" and criminals are optimists. Lenin, Hitler, Sadam Hussein, Bernie Madoff, and probably all con-men and burglars were extremely optimistic. The conviction that they will never be caught is nearly universal among criminals. Many, perhaps most, excessive risk takers are optimists." From my blog, back in March, http://williambswift.blogspot.com/2009/03/optimism-is-not-necessarily-as.html http://williambswift.blogspot.com/2009/03/optimism-is-not-ne... , it is something that has annoyed me for years. Before someone starts throwing around "Godwin's Law", you should actually go and read a bit about Hitler's life, a serious optimism is one thing that comes across very strongly, from early on, through WWI and his time as a pretty revolutionary, to his decisions in WWII.