--- title: I'm in the Optimism Business description: I'm in the optimism business; I can't afford to see only the dark side of things. image: https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-03-29%2010.28.10%20-%20Create%20a%20graphic%20depicting%20the%20concept%20of%20liquid%20optimism%20with%20a%20serene%2c%20flowing%20stream%20and%20two%20older%20happy%20men%20engaged%20in%20a%20pleasant%20conversation%20o.webp --- ###### [Check out Our latest insights on Optimism](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog) [![Centre for Optimism_Logo](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Centre%20for%20Optimism_Logo.svg)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com?hsLang=en) - [Home](https://www.centreforoptimism.com) - [Subscribe](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/subscribe) - [Why Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whyoptimism) - [What is Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whatisoptimism) - [The Optimism Principle](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog/theoptimismprinciple) - [Need Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/services-and-workshops) - [The Optimism Workshop](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/workshop) - [Victor Perton - That Optimism Man](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/victorperton) - [Magnetic Optimism for Organisations](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/magnetic-optimism-workshops) ![Close Icon (3)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Close%20Icon%20(3).svg) ![Search (2)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Search%20(2).svg) # I'm in the Optimism Business "You said, "I'm in the optimism business; I can't afford to see only the dark side of things." And I heard that out of this year as I was going back in the committee room, "I'm in the optimism business" and I realised I wasn't. And I never had been. And it was the first moment I began to think of optimism as something other than naive. What allows you to hang onto optimism in this environment, for example, that we're in now?" So said Lawrence O’Donnell to Bill Bradley in an interesting interview on Bradley's film "Rolling Along: An American Story.”   Bill Bradley responded, "Well, I think we can learn a lot from what made our Knicks team successful so many years ago. Like take **responsibility** for yourself, **respect** your fellow human beings, disagree with them openly and honestly, and civilly enjoy their humanity. And then what my grandmother said, never look down on somebody you don't understand. And so it starts with a set of values of what you believe about what is possible. And one of the reasons I did this film was to try to create some healing in the country. Very divided. And yet, I was so personal because I wanted to encourage other people to tell their stories. And if that happens, we find that there's a common humanity that we all share. And it's that common humanity that I'm betting on, not R&D. I'm betting on a common humanity." 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