Optimism Verses Pessimism Is the glass half-full or half-empty? The answer depends totally upon the viewpoint of the individual that is questioned. An optimist would say that the glass is half-full, but a pessimist would say that the glass is half-empty. Optimism and pessimism have their similarities and differences, but they both have many drawbacks. An optimist expects the best out of every possible situation and maximizes the outcome. An optimistic individual has the positive attitude to endure many hardships and shortcomings. On the contrary, a pessimist has the opposite viewpoint from that of an optimist. A pessimistic