The Positives and the Negatives on Nantucket

“Pessimism leads to weakness. Optimism leads to power.”
— William James

I’ve been thinking about this quote by the late philosopher, William James lately. It applies to our community in a very important way. There are a number of politically active people on this island. People who volunteer, or contribute greatly. And how effective they are often depends upon whether they approach a problem with optimism or pessimism.

I’m reminded of our recent discussion on yackon.com of Sustainable Nantucket and the Housing Office and the Shellfish Association and how some people on the island think that these organizations are wrong or bad or “foolish.” In one case, a poster said they felt that one of the above groups participates in “borderline criminal activity.”

Holy disconnect, Batman.

Here are three organizations that actually stand for something. They stand for things that are good and important to us as a community, or at least should be. Sustainability. Affordable Housing. A viable shellfish industry. How can anyone be against these things? Yet, there are people who are. People who speak out, either in public, as is the case with one former selectman, or in private, over wings at the AC or scrambled eggs at the Downeyflake. They spread this pessimism like a virus and it infects our community in a very real way.

This brand of pessimism makes us weak as a community. Why? Because it divides us. Another quote from Winston Churchill explains why:

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Take for example the Westmoor opportunity the town has a few years back. In that situation, I got the feeling that a number of people refused to see the rose that was presented to the town and chose instead to concentrate only on the thorns. What a missed opportunity.

The greatest concentration of negativity and pessimism seems, at least to me, to be coming form “old guard” native Nantucketers. One was recently quoted by the above poster on YACK as saying, "I've been here all my life and I talked to loads of people about it. The only ones who have anything good to say are poorly informed gripers who liked my island so much they decided to move here and show me how to run it."

Not very neighborly. Not very positive. Not very understanding. I would say that if these "poorly informed gripeers" he talks about moved to Nantucket, then it must be their island too. And they have every right to have a say in how the community works and grows.

I recently got a response on my blog that, in part made the following statement:

“Something you will forever be unable to understand is the connection with Nantucket a native has in comparison to a ‘washashore’.”

Listen to the negativity and pessimism in that statement. This person — and I have no idea who it is — does not think very highly of me. And why? Not because I’m a bad person. (I’m not.) Not because I want to ruin Nantucket (I don’t.) But because I’m a washashore and can’t possibly understand having a connection to this place.

I find this laughable. First, how can this person measure my capacity to understand anything? What do they know about me? I’ll have them know that they greatly underestimate me. Second, I understand the connection to Nantucket as well as anyone, and perhaps better than some because I have lived other places. I have the gift of contrast to show me how special a place the island is. I participate in the community. I pay attention. I care enough to want to see Nantucket become a better place for its citizens.

This person finished their note to me by saying, “when it comes down to it...this is not your island to change.”

More negativity. Negativity and pessimism that weakens us as an island. This is my home. It is, in fact, my island. It belongs to us all.

I think we would be stronger as a community if long-standing islanders like this anonymous poster said to their washashore neighbors who care deeply about Nantucket, “Welcome. Let’s get to work creating a community we can be proud of.”

Nantucket First!