Optimism is associated with exceptional longevity

To find out why, go read or listen to "everything is fucked" - optimism is the root of hope, and hope is what makes people buy into faith - religious, financial, social - all the "isms".

Hope is hollow but generally drives a lot of people forward. The trick is to either remain blissfully unaware of the mirage called hope, or find some way to live with full, honest, hopelessness.