Realism, pessimism, and optimism

Everybody has heard the classic test to determine whether someone is an optimist or a pessimist right? Is the glass half empty or half full? That is the one. I have been thinking about this topic quite a bit due to a novel I am currently reading wherein the protagonist could be considered a pessimist and a realist. The argument was as to which one he is. This prompted me to think on the topic further. So what is the correct answer to that age old question? I would say that the correct answer is to say that neither are fully correct. Whilst it is not technically wrong to say that the glass is half full or half empty, it is also not the whole truth. It is both half full and half empty. Saying it is just one or the other is only part of the truth. This is the famed third answer that realists supposedly give. I reject that idea fully. Allow me to explain.

Optimism is the positive outlook. A true optimist always assumes that the outcome of a situation will be positive, even if it is not. The idea is that a positive mindset will bring about positive results, so it is better than the alternative. The alternative being pessimism. Pessimism is the opposite. A true pessimist will always assume the outcome of a situation to be negative. The idea here is that disappointment is impossible if one already expects the worst. It is a pleasant surprise when things turn out well, which makes it feel better as a result. It should be noted that almost nobody is a true optimist or pessimist. Usually, what make one an optimist or a pessimist is which mindset that person subscribes to the most. So if a person is usually optimistic, the he or she is an optimist. Likewise, if a person is usually pessimistic, then he or she is a pessimist. So then, what is a realist? A realist is somebody who is correct more often than not in regards to how a situation will turn out.  It is completely impossible to correctly predict the outcome of every situation; therefore, a realist would be that which is correct most of the time. Realism is a fundamentally different concept from optimism and pessimism. Realism is not a mindset. Realism is more like a state of being. Optimism and pessimism are both mindsets. See the difference? So the question becomes, when does one become a realist? I think that one becomes a realist when his or her mindset best represents reality. I do believe that one of the two mindsets(pessimism and optimism) is more deserving of the title of realism, but that is a topic for another post.