What makes you think we're pretending? Not everybody has a gloomy outlook. If I order oysters at a restaurant I expect to find a pearl in them; a pessimist would expect to choke on it.
If you don't think your glass is half full you can always drink out of the bottle.
Why should they? If I'm unhappy I don't interact with 'others' till I regain my composure. Each person has his or her problem, each fights his or her battle, in their own unique way.
This post was edited by Veena.K at January 13, 2017 12:58 PM MST
All sorts of reasons. Three common ones: to avoid other people offering unwanted advice, raised to believe that it is rude or selfish to show or inflict one's unhappiness or discontent on others, or the desire to be liked.
I don't think it's how to read it. It's about our focus. If we keep to have our focus on the stuff that makes us feel miserable we will never give space to enjoy/realize the little things that might be positive. It's about life perspective and the choices we make. There will be needs that have to be at place, like food. But yes, if we keep looking at the bad stuff, we will confirm ourselves that there is nothing good, and we will be pushing what might have been good to us away from us. Having a positive attitude to ourselves and life won't make the bad stuff go away, but it might make it easier for us to leave in the behind. All depending on the various issues. The question asked by the OP is a a question made in general and so is the image I have brought as a reply. I wish you all my best.
Oh, I see. I must have misunderstood. It just annoys me when people tell a depressed person to "just be happy!" as if it's that easy to overcome depression. But it does help to try to have a positive attitude or try to focus my attention on something else to get my mind off it.
I fully understand. Depressions aren't fixed by telling the person just to be happy. Having depression takes a long and hard way to work through if they ever will get fully over it. As you say, a positive attitude, or focus of something different can be helpful. All my sympathies if you are dealing with a depression, and my sincere wishes for you, that you are able to think at positive and happy things that there hopefully are in your life too.
Benedict Arnold 