# Look on the bright side **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 28, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995 "2012-01-28T16:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/1 "2012-01-28T16:53:00Z")
I’m starting to hate this expression. I work with a woman that I cannot even make the most casual negative remark around, because it is always met with 'Look on the bright side". Grey, miserable day out? Don’t mention it. I get it, everything can always be worse than it is. It could be a major snowstorm, or a tornado. I could be destitute and homeless, my house could burn down, I could lose my family to a terrorist attack. Lots of bad things happen. It could also be a lot better… bright sunny day, meet the man of my dreams, get a big promotion at work, win the lottery. When I lost control of my car on an icy road and bounced it off a rock, causing a fair amount of damage, my best friend kept telling to look on the bright side. Yeah, I get it, I wasn’t seriously injured, my vehicle can be repaired, but still, it was massively inconvenient to not have a car because I lived in a remote, rural location, and I had to pay a lot of money I could not afford to get my car running, plus the long term insurance consequences. I didn’t want to look on the bright side, I wanted acknowlegement that I was having a shitty time and something bad had happened to me. So now, same best friend has had a couple of surgeries to repair her degenerating spine and has been told that she will likely have a permanent restriction of no activity that could cause a fall. She is active and athletic and rides horses, so this is really hard for her. Here is where I add myself to this pit. I really, really wanted to say, “Look on the bright side, at least you can still walk and you’re not in a wheelchair” I didn’t, but I was oh, so close. And then I wanted to add, “See, get it??” When you’ve been dealt a shitty hand, being told you should look at it in a positive light because it could be always be worse, really sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/2 "2012-01-28T17:17:19Z")
Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad Other things just make you swear and curse When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble give a whistle This will help things turn out for the best Always look on the bright side of life Always look on the right side of life ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/3 "2012-01-28T17:29:36Z")
Yeah—raise your hand if the thread title caused you to spontaneously start whistling. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/4 "2012-01-28T17:43:16Z")
Well, yes OP you are correct, but just take into account that: Life’s a piece of shit, When you look at it. Life’s a laugh and death’s a joke, it’s true. You’ll see it’s all a show… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/5 "2012-01-28T18:00:43Z")
[obligatory link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ECUtkv2qV8) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/6 "2012-01-28T18:05:08Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yeah—raise your hand if the thread title caused you to spontaneously start whistling. I expect near unanimity on that. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/7 "2012-01-28T18:05:36Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well, yes OP you are correct, but just take into account that: > Life’s a piece of shit, > When you look at it. > Life’s a laugh and death’s a joke, it’s true. > You’ll see it’s all a show… Always look on the bright side of death Just before you draw your terminal breath ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/8 "2012-01-28T18:07:49Z")
What really pisses me off is that the Cheery-Cheri in my office is an absolute CUNT when things aren’t working out for her. Minor inconveniences and daily frustrations make her spazz out, and several times she has left work crying over things like getting a digit wrong in a credit card number and having to call someone back. But if anyone else is pissed about something, or if they get mad that someone else has caused them frustration: “Everything’s going to be alright, Hon.” If I was a far crueler person, I’d wait until she’s having one of her snits and then adopt a syrupy-sweet affectation: “Everything’s going to be alright, Sweetheart.” ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/9 "2012-01-28T18:11:04Z")
I wonder whats the bright side of getting guinea worms? ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/10 "2012-01-28T18:14:29Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I wonder whats the bright side of getting guinea worms? Weight loss? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/11 "2012-01-28T18:40:22Z")
You could give her a copy of [this book](http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Sided-Positive-Thinking-Undermining-America/dp/0312658850/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327775972&sr=1-1). ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/12 "2012-01-28T19:08:12Z")
The “look on the bright side” people get on my nerves too. But the most annoying subset of this group is the “look the bright side, you could be me!” people. They can’t let you complain about something without one-upping you with their tales of woe. I just want to punch them sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/13 "2012-01-28T20:07:59Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I wonder whats the bright side of getting guinea worms? Happy guinea worms? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/14 "2012-01-28T23:54:31Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > The “look on the bright side” people get on my nerves too. But the most annoying subset of this group is the “look the bright side, you could be me!” people. They can’t let you complain about something without one-upping you with their tales of woe. I just want to punch them sometimes. That’s tough, but you should see the people I have to deal with. Everything is always the worst thing thing ever - complete drama queens. I seriosuly feel like I’m going to kick one of them on Monday. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/15 "2012-01-29T00:18:49Z")
They’re better than the “Everything happens for a reason!” people. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/16 "2012-01-29T02:32:34Z")
Everything does happen for a reason. Unfortunately the reason tends to be that someone screwed up. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/17 "2012-01-29T02:51:39Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > They’re better than the “Everything happens for a reason!” people. And the [“God answers all prayers”](http://www.theonion.com/articles/god-answers-prayers-of-paralyzed-little-boy,475/) crowd. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/18 "2012-01-29T02:58:53Z")
I’m one of the guilty parties. My SO just had major surgery, and I console myself with the idea that it could have been much worse. I don’t tell other people to look at the bright side, and I don’t try to trump their pain with mine. That’s just rude. I listen and give sympathy. However, when they try to give sympathy about how terrible my life is at the moment, I tell them that it could be so much worse. I’m very good at seeing how much worse things could be, so I’m happy that Bill just had heart bypass surgery instead of getting mangled in a car wreck. Oddly enough, this annoys some people. I don’t know why. I don’t try to annoy anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/19 "2012-01-29T02:59:39Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > I expect near unanimity on that. Whoo wooo Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995/20 "2012-01-29T06:59:12Z")
> [@hermette](#): > > > [@Sitnam](#): > > > > I wonder whats the bright side of getting guinea worms? > > Weight loss? Not sure that’s a bright side for people who live in areas where you can even get guinea worms. But I agree **Smeghead** , if guinea worms could feel happy, that would be an upside. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-on-the-bright-side/610995.md?page=2)