Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
(OP)
This is just an interesting observation that has about zero relevance to ethics, but I couldn't really find a good place to post it.
Anyway, I have noticed that I seem to be more of "The Glass is Half Empty" type of person and I was wondering if this is what drew me to engineering or if my profession as an engineer has drawn it out of me or if I'm just waxing philosophical about stupid things because I have nothing better to do and that is just the type of person I am - engineer or not.
What I'm driving at here is that whenever I am presented with an idea or a new approach to something my first instinct is to poke holes in it and see if it continues to float. Now, as an engineer, that is sort of what I'm paid to do - I need to make sure that what goes out the door isn't likely to fail. As a person, however, I think I should try to be more positive and look at an idea in a different light without trying to destroy it immediately. Anyone other engineers out there find themselves doing that kind of thing? I tend to blame my engineering side when I do this, but it could just be that I'm simply an sour person who hates new stuff - just a big curmudgeon at 34!
Anyway, I have noticed that I seem to be more of "The Glass is Half Empty" type of person and I was wondering if this is what drew me to engineering or if my profession as an engineer has drawn it out of me or if I'm just waxing philosophical about stupid things because I have nothing better to do and that is just the type of person I am - engineer or not.
What I'm driving at here is that whenever I am presented with an idea or a new approach to something my first instinct is to poke holes in it and see if it continues to float. Now, as an engineer, that is sort of what I'm paid to do - I need to make sure that what goes out the door isn't likely to fail. As a person, however, I think I should try to be more positive and look at an idea in a different light without trying to destroy it immediately. Anyone other engineers out there find themselves doing that kind of thing? I tend to blame my engineering side when I do this, but it could just be that I'm simply an sour person who hates new stuff - just a big curmudgeon at 34!





RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Don't worry about it.
Buy a dictionary, keep it nearby and USE it. Webster's New World Dictionary of American English is recommended, and Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
When you look at a new idea or approach, you're not looking at it like "this is awful, this is terrible, it will never work".
Rather, you are actually looking at it as something that potentially could work....and you take the time to really consider its merits and possibilities. This is optimistic - not pessimistic. Taking the time to see if indeed there are no flaws in it, rather than assuming the worst, is really a compliment to any idea.
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Of course, interacting with other people outside of engineering, sometimes you might get called a prick for always shooting down ideas that don't work. Some people like having sunshine blown somewhere.
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Voice of experience.
Andy
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
I have learned that it is necessary to present positive possibilities along with negative improbabilities. Always be ready to present or at least entertain the possibilities.
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
TTFN
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Being presented with the very same idea and responding with an attitude along the lines of 'gee, that a pretty good idea! I think if we just tweak this and change that we could really have something good here' is a positive outlook on the same situation.
It all comes down to attitude. Sometimes maintaining a positive outlook can be difficult, but the rewards for the investment in doing so far outstrip the initial effort.
In my experiences, the path of least resistance is to adopt a negative attitude because it is easy to do. I takes almost no effort to initiate or maintain. It just sort of happens. I think this is because it is often projected toward other people. It is very easy to point out others' shortcomings.
The path of most resistance is to maintain a positive attitude in the face of an onslaught of less than positive situations. It's the old no pain, no gain theory.
Also, you can't just do it once in a while. You must adopt it as a way of life. Now, I am not suggesting that one be positive about every sutuation all the time. But it is amazing what happens when a positive attitude is brought to the majority of discussions.
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Bruce Lee
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
-Arthur C. Clarke
I believe it to be mostly true. We're always limited by the laws of Thermodynamics (or at least to the extent we understand them now). But our perception of reality is ever changing. I'm not saying you should let your employees spend company money trying to find the golden egg laying goose, but do what you can to nurture the free thought and creativity. Can't allow chaos, but radical innovation should be encouraged.
ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Bruce Lee
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
http://www.ideo.com/about/index.asp?x=3&y=1
Wes C.
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In this house, we OBEY the laws of thermodynamics! - Homer Simpson
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Ken
TXiceman
www.rae-corp.com
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Unless you designed scalability into the product.
Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
RE: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?