3702 - Rediscovering Optimism in Today’s World (Robert Pawlicki)
Course Description
Instructor: Robert Pawlicki
In an age overflowing with conflict and uncertainty, optimism can seem naïve - or even reckless. Yet history shows it is precisely this daring hope that lights the path out of darkness. From a mental health perspective, optimism isn’t wishful thinking - it’s wise thinking. It widens our vision, revealing opportunities that pessimism keeps hidden. In this two-session class, retired psychologist Robert Pawlicki will explore how unchecked pessimism can quietly erode well-being, and how realistic optimism has fueled progress in the past—and can do so again today.
Bio: Robert Pawlicki, Ph.D., was a full professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the West Virginia University Medical Center. Previously he was a tenured associate professor at SUNY Oswego (State University of New York). He has published three books related to happiness and well-being. In retirement he became a newspaper columnist and has had over 150 opinion page columns published throughout the United States.