The Budapest Sun Online cikk

1998.09.17.

Angol cikk a magyar Optimista Klubról.

Young are told ‘don’t worry, be happy’

By Eszter Balázs

“Be positive!” could be the slogan for a new initiative started by Columbian psychologist Cronio Pérez in order to change the widespread pessimistic attitudes of Hungarians.
His Optimista Klub (Club of Optimists, or OK) undertakes to cheer up pessimistic young Hungarians.

Children are full of positive energies that have to be utilized to create an optimistic approach. They have to be self-reliant and able to achieve their own goals,” said Pérez. The OK follows a “mental hygiene” program designed by Pérez.
OK has a homepage o­n the Internet, through which psychology students will communicate with club members or those who are seeking help.
The club also offers training aimed at establishing positive attitudes and soon a television program will be launched encouraging optimism.
Plans include airing a cartoon that stars an optimist crocodile, aimed at a young audience.

The negative attitude widespread among adults must not be allowed to spread o­n to their children,” Pérez said. Pérez did studies measuring to what degree Hungarians are negative or positive in their attitudes to life.
He found that, in a changing society and economy like that of Hungary, people tend to be rather pessimistic about their lives.

Negative attitudes, however, are not new in Hungary. The people here are subconsciously equipped with a sense of defeatism, which stems from their history,” Pérez said.

Just listen to the national anthem: It is a beautiful poem, a beautiful melody, but desperately tragic.

However, Hungary is heading for the EU, people are free and the country managed all this change without shedding a drop of blood. There is no reason to be negative anymore.

Becoming a member of OK is easy: All a prospective member has to do is send a smiling picture of themselves to the club at the ELTE Psychology Institute.