Wishful thinking, Is it useful to society or destructive?

Wishful thinking - the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence, rationality or reality. Source

This thread is meant to discuss the roll wishful thinking plays on society and whether it has a negative or positive impact.

In film, you can see wishful thinking occur where the main character does not focus on the negative as much as the positive possibilities. In other words, he is not a 'Negative Nancy' in his dire situation and formulates a plan. Could this actually work out in real life? Could someone go about there problems while ignoring the negatives and focus on only the outcome that seems best? Or is it just a clouding of reason and ability to fix problems? For the past 10 years (to my knowledge) the American Economy has slowly fallen causing millions of foreclosures, debts, etc. Could this all be reason to American Society's wishful thinking? Or is wishful thinking in society the only way for a man to stay sane in this mad mess of politics, war, and social unrest. Wishful thinking could very well be the only way people can cope with their problems (legally). Yet this can not change the outcome of their problems and could draw such problems out longer.

Since I can not discuss this alone, tell me what you think about wishful thinking and its effects on society.

reply to post by IamRoy08


hi Roy8,
+ thanks for starting an interesting thread...

i too often wonder whether "positive thinking" gets results,
or whether they would of happened anyway...

but i try and live the positive side,
because it is better than being negative all the time...

negativity is almost definitely a " self- fulfilling prophecy",
so why cant positivity???

thanks again,
+
seeeya

reply to post by shaneR


I myself am split.

I agree with your positive attitude argument, but does that cloud the capability of making a logical choice?

Thanks for the comment, I really want to see what people have to say here.

reply to post by IamRoy08


I believe it's a little of both.

A person wants to start a new business can be a wishful thinker. But how they prepare for it determines whether they are successful or not.

I would say that most politicians are wishful thinkers....that's the destructive part.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Yeah politicians can be big wishful thinkers.

War, Economy, etc. I agree with you.

well there are merits to both positions in my opinion it has to do with the individual.
Some people use it to cope while others just look on the bright side of things, not as a way of coping.
If you do not have wishfull thinking you can be a negative nelly but there are people who see it as it is, which is more often than not negative not positive.

reply to post by GodlyHavoc


Yes but how does it effect a society in whole? Does Wishful Thinking cause a society to fail or the latter? Or does either way prove to be of no significance?