# The "What kind of attitude towards life do you have" poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704 "2011-10-25T02:45:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/21 "2011-10-25T17:49:35Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > Being mean and being high-stress are not always related. Some of the meanest people I know are utterly stress-free because they aren’t burdened with giving a shit about other people. Likewise, some of the biggest worriers I’ve met are quite kind and concerned about others. Quoted for truth. Taking other people’s wants and feelings into consideration can be a huge source of stress and tension. I’m not really sure how to answer the poll, though. I’m generally pretty easy-going, able to either laugh or just roll my eyes and move on over the foibles of myself and the people around me, and inclined toward seeing the upside of bad things in my life. But when there’s something I consider serious, I take it really, really seriously, to the point other people probably speculate about the size of cactus up my ass. Some of the people I’ve tried to train over the years almost certainly think I’m the biggest harpy who ever lived…and I’m okay with that, because the things I was riding their asses over mattered. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/22 "2011-10-25T18:03:55Z")
Buddhist idea of “here and now” is the nirvana, “the miracle” helped me a lot (I disregard the recarnation part completely): Now I can experience even the most hellish moments as another different form of “this” to experience which is not possible if I was just lifeless elemental material, star dust… and perhaps my anti-depressant helps. ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/23 "2011-10-25T18:19:02Z")
> [@Bosstrain](#): > > Agreed, **Vihaga** , but “it’s a joke, son” fit’s here nicely. BTW, what did _you_ vote for? I didn’t. It doesn’t go to 11. /edit. Voted now! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/24 "2011-10-25T18:36:15Z")
Owing to various psychological issues, I find being fully engaged with life to be tense to the point of near paralysis. Most days I have to maintain a very low level of tension, and only partial engagement, in order to function at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Bosstrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstrain)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/25 "2011-10-25T18:53:02Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > I didn’t. It doesn’t go to 11. Bwahahaha, I apologize, I should have had one more: _“Vlad made me a statistic, it’s just taking a while to croak”_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/26 "2011-10-25T19:37:00Z")
I recently took a ridiculously comprehensive personality/behavior assessment. One of the categories was neuroticism with possible scores ranging from 0-100, 0 being stress free and 100 being very sensative to stress. Normal is in the 40-60 range. I scored a 3 and I’d say it pretty much fits. I don’t get too emotionally worked up; good or bad. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/27 "2011-10-25T19:43:55Z")
I highly approve of **poker in the rear** ’s vote. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/28 "2011-10-26T20:13:40Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I voted: \*I can loosen up when I relax, but often I have to be tense.\*The challenge is I don’t relax much. I live pretty much in a constant state of tension. > > Since my late 20s, my life has been eerily good, and progressively better with each passing year. Because I find it inexplicable, I constantly vacillate between dread anticipation of the first shoe dropping and doing everything I can think of to prevent it. This makes me overly critical, overly cautious, obsessive, and not much fun to be around most of the time. Instead of the other shoe dropping it sounds like you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Lighten up before you Make something bad happen, 'kay? ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/29 "2011-10-26T20:16:05Z")
I voted Mama’s chocolates but can I pick one of those things to stick up some peoples’ butts? I don’t like maple cream, Nava. Want mine? ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/30 "2011-10-26T20:33:42Z")
> [@brittekland](#): > > Buddhist idea of “here and now” is the nirvana, “the miracle” helped me a lot (I disregard the recarnation part completely): Now I can experience even the most hellish moments as another different form of “this” to experience which is not possible if I was just lifeless elemental material, star dust… and perhaps my anti-depressant helps. Started to “Like” this as if we were on FaceBook… ---
**Author:** ![Bosstrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Bosstrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstrain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/31 "2011-10-27T00:49:35Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Owing to various psychological issues, I find being fully engaged with life to be tense to the point of near paralysis. That sucks really bad, sometimes talking things out can ease the situation, so please, don’t ever hesitate to talk things out with someone, hell, even a forum like this can be good since you don’t even have to converse face to face. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/32 "2011-10-27T01:33:23Z")
I’ve always been laid back by design. I can handle stress that challenges me intellectually and physically because my endurance in these areas is insane. But my tolerance for drama and flawed people is extremely low. So I’ve designed a life that is routine and sparsely populated. People probably think I’m boring as hell, but I don’t feel boring. I’m always doing something. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/33 "2011-10-27T10:06:34Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I voted: \*I can loosen up when I relax, but often I have to be tense.\*The challenge is I don’t relax much. I live pretty much in a constant state of tension. > > Since my late 20s, my life has been eerily good, and progressively better with each passing year. Because I find it inexplicable, I constantly vacillate between dread anticipation of the first shoe dropping and doing everything I can think of to prevent it. This makes me overly critical, overly cautious, obsessive, and not much fun to be around most of the time. > [@Becky2844](#): > > Instead of the other shoe dropping it sounds like you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Lighten up before you Make something bad happen, 'kay? Heh. You kind of sound like my wife. Yeah, I admit to having a pretty intense, glass-half-empty outlook on life. Drives her up a wall. 😛 The kicker is I’m convinced my never-abating trepidation has been the primary catalyst for my decades long drive to excel and achieve and possess and protect and insulate. Many people are having a very difficult time right now, including people I know, went to school with, and grew up with, while I seem to be missing every bump in the road. It’s kind of like being trapped in a dark space literally crawling with a nightmare-inducing number of venomous spiders you can’t see, constantly hearing the screams of other people as they are struck and poisoned, while never being attacked yourself, but convinced it’s only a matter of time. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Bosstrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstrain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/34 "2011-10-27T17:14:31Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > It’s kind of like being trapped in a dark space literally crawling with a nightmare-inducing number of venomous spiders you can’t see, constantly hearing the screams of other people as they are struck and poisoned, while never being attacked yourself, but convinced it’s only a matter of time. Thaaaanks, now I _am_ gonna’ have nightmares. That sounds terrible, I hope those other people are sufficiently armed and they’ve seen all four Alien movies so they know where they fit in the plot. If you’re not Sigourney Weaver, then you’re most likey screwed, and even if you are, you’re still screwed :D. I actually can relate to **Monstro** ’s situation. It sounds a lot like me. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/35 "2011-10-27T17:25:04Z")
I’m pretty laid back most of the time…I get riled when someone crosses certain boundaries (mostly regarding parenting) and I sometimes worry about finances and standard issues like that. When my SO and I began dating, he was really complimentary about how easygoing I am. I told him,“Give it time–eventually it’ll drive you crazy.” A year and a half later…it’s driving him crazy, because he’s very near the opposite end of the spectrum. Poor guy. He really needs to learn to relax. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/36 "2011-10-27T18:03:03Z")
It depends. My outlook \*really \*depends on what life is throwing at me. When I’m getting a lot of unanticipated shitballs flung at me by fate (deaths/illnesses in the family, car breakdowns, having to move on short notice), I have a very negative and anxiety-ridden outlook on life. When everything is pretty much going okay, I’m quite laid-back and a total Type B. I have done my best to unentangle myself from negative influences, including an abusive father, abusive boyfriend, most of my extended family (the stupid douchey fundies), and some friends who were, to quote someone I know, “psychic vampires.” I’ve also begun putting up firmer boundaries to people who would otherwise take advantage of me (my mom, mostly, but also a boss with a tooth-grating way of asking leading questions to get her unders to agree to “optional” overtime they don’t want or need). This has led to me spending a lot more time alone (which I like, I’m an introvert) and has significantly lowered my daily stress level. So, most of the time I am fairly laid-back. But at times of high stress, I get fuckin’ stressed as fuck. I chose the last option because I thought the poll options were worded in a manner as to skew results toward the earlier options. Someone who is, as you say, “stuck-up” would be more likely to admit to being stuck up, if the poll options weren’t terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Bosstrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstrain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704/37 "2011-10-27T19:54:26Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I chose the last option because I thought the poll options were worded in a manner as to skew results toward the earlier options Actually, you are correct, 1-6 were the ones I thought would be the most chosen, the rest were mostly just to be funny, but also to allow for those that take their bad attitude seriously and are proud of it. 6, the one about needing a substance to relax, was because I know a couple people who can’t relax without something to relax them (I even know someone that can’t relax even after that). The fact that objects are involved was my way of lightening the mood, maybe I didn’t pull that off well, but so far it seems to not be something anyone’s too uptight about. I have noticed that **Princhester** hasn’t returned to comment, so maybe there are some people who’ve taken offense at this, which is rather sad. [“Stop Whinning”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL1lfSzgcAw) 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-kind-of-attitude-towards-life-do-you-have-poll/600704.md?page=1)