Seeing life through grey-tinted spectacles, people identifying with this attribute tend to focus on the past, blaming their tough current situation on their unfair start in life. As pessimists, they tend to see the worst aspect of things and expect that the worst will happen. In extreme forms, they believe that their life has no value and that the world is a bad place where evil will ultimately prevail over good.

In essence, Pessimism espousers believe that they do not share a level playing field with others, who have many more advantages and opportunities. They accept little or no blame for their current circumstances, seeing that the cards of life have always been stacked against them. Men and women tend to believe this equally, but there is a tendency for such people to be older and to have a lower income.

Pessimism espousers have learned to not trust people and businesses. They believe that standards have dropped over the years, resulting in more crime and poorer products that do not last as long as they use to do. When they think of the bigger picture, they tend to be fearful of the growing violence and lawlessness in society. So, they do not walk alone at night in their own neighbourhood; a fear fuelled by their unwillingness to mix with other people. They claim to feel better on their own but, in truth, they do not want to make the effort to meet other people and make new friends. It feels like too much effort that will only result in disappointment. They tend to be solitary figures who prefer not to change and are fearful of being changed.

Such people have learned to be helpless due to a perceived lack of control and have given up trying to improve things. For them, there is no point. Even when opportunities for relief or positive change do arise Pessimism espousers have learned to do nothing. With little sense of hope for a better life, their moods tend to be neutral or low. Nothing excites them these days. They may have keen memories of an earlier life where things seemed to be much better and they fantasise about them being like that again someday but, in reality, there is no hope and very low expectations of any positive developments. There is very little light at the end of the tunnel.