Monday 2 November 2009

Now I know why I’m happy being a miserable git


Martin Clunes plays the grumpy Dr Ellingham in TV's Doc Martin

At last, I’ve discovered a good piece of news concerning the state of my mental health. Professor Joseph Forgas, a psychologist based in New South Wales, Australia, reckons that being a miserable old git is actually good for you. On the other hand, an over-optimistic, happy-clappy airhead is more likely to be a danger to themselves and those around them.

The study discovered that crotchety, irascible and testy people are less gullible and better judges of others. Grumpy types tend to have better memories too. Crabby individuals are more critical of their surroundings and pay more attention than happy-go-lucky people who are more easily duped by the likes of loan sharks, time-share salesmen and politicians.

Although people with a positive mood tend to be creative, flexible and cooperative; grumps are careful and thoughtful people who pay greater attention to the outside world. Professor Forgas thinks sad people are better at coping with demanding situations. He also thinks gloomy types are less likely to make snap decisions and even tend to be more reliable witnesses.

The conclusion of this study shows that happy people are a bunch of gullible, trusting losers just waiting to be ripped off by the nearest conman. I always knew there was a good reason why I’m a grumpy old bastard! I may be a pessimist but I think this report is really good news.

9 comments:

  1. Couldn't agree more. I've always supported the idea that a cynic or pessimist is just an optimist in full possession of the facts.

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  2. I love Martin Clunes in that role. He's the guy you love to hate.
    I like to think I've found a happy medium between gullible trusting loser and grumpy bitch.

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  3. "I like to think I've found a happy medium between gullible trusting loser and grumpy bitch"

    You sound like the ideal woman! :-)

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  4. An optimist is someone who believes that this is the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist is someone who knows that the optimist is right - this is as good as it gets.

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  5. Bollocks and buggery. Am a bloody happy person. Am now miserable. Thanks for that, you sad old git. x

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  6. Peter... is your middle name Pangloss?

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  7. As they say; a pessimist is never disappointed.

    binlid (aka grumpy old woman)

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  8. A pessimist can be pleasantly surprised - an optimist faces frequent disappointment. Only trouble with this blog is - it cheered me up about being a GOW - and being cheerful is bad for me, apparently. Bother - a paradox - the logician's nightmare.

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  9. So at least I'm doing something right then! I love being the grumpy old woman, sometimes I can make Scrooge look like a happy chappy. Love it even more at the moment cos I'm "running" around on one crutch (only a step away from a walking stick) due to my recent knee op. When I get really old - which isn't that far away - I am going to get a walking stick even if I don't need one just so I can bash the yoof of today with it. I may even have it fitted with a flick knife. OK so that's probably illegal but who's going to argue with me? A? My role model is Diana in "Waiting for God".

    Gill

    The happy face I put on for the general public is but a facade

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