(i don't know how to quote stuff you've said above so assume i have :))
I think that pessimism and rationality are close cousins. In that modern terms like 'be rational' tend to really mean that we should 'be skeptical'. Which tend to mean that we should 'be pessimistic'
That's true about "Be more rational." (ie "Your idea is stupid; quit being adventurous."). That's why I hesitate to say "rational optimist," because rational as an adjective has such skeptical, pessimistic connotations. Some "skeptics" drive me nuts.
