Glass half full or half empty
Glass half full or half empty是英语里的一个常见典故。半杯水摆在你面前，你看到的是什么？如果你的第一反应是The glass is half full，说明你注重积极的一面，是乐观主义者。如果你的第一反应是The glass is half empty，说明你注重消极的一面，是个悲观主义者。
其实这样的概括过于笼统，因为glass half full和glass half empty各有各的长处，不像乐观、悲观那样优劣分明。Glass half full的优点是：比较容易满足，有益身心健康。做事时注重“已完成了多少”，而不是“还剩多少”，不太会产生厌烦情绪。而glass half empty的优点是：头脑清醒，不盲目乐观。做起事来往往未雨绸缪，预先想好应对的办法。
这个半空还是半满的问题由于太有名，已经渐渐演变成一个笑话。比较经典的回答包括：
1）取决于杯子原来的状态。如果原来是空的，倒进去半杯水，那是glass half full。如果原来是满的，倒掉半杯水，那是glass half empty。
2）Half empty是个愚蠢的说法。Empty等于零。Half empty也就是零的一半，结果还是零。既然杯子里是有水的，half empty就是绝对错误的。所以应该是glass half full。
3）两者都不对！虽然水只有一半，但杯子里还有空气，所以The glass is always full！
玩笑归玩笑，大家在应用的时候还是要记住“glass half full = 乐观，glass half empty = 悲观”的原则。举个例子：
Phil: The Houston Rockets lost again last night. It’s their seventh straight defeat! And Yao Ming fouled out. That seriously blows! （Phil：火箭队昨晚又输了。这可是他们的七连败！姚明还因犯规过多被罚下场。太糟糕了！）
Josh: Hey, at least he scored 30 points. That’s his season-best! （Josh：嘿，至少他拿了三十分。是这季最好的表现噢！）
Phil: I guess you always see the glass as half full, huh? （Phil：你是半满主义者吧？）
Josh: You bet! Half empty is no fun! （Josh：当然，杯子半空才不好玩呢！）
相关链接：
Half Full or Half Empty
Is Your Glass Half Empty or Half Full (Interesting quiz!)
Bonus video: Kelly Clarkson - Because of You
November 28th, 2005 at 2:51 pm
哈哈，感觉你像是为了提到Yao Ming而故意找的这个例子。
Yan:
凑巧而已。正好看到七连败的新闻，就拿来用了。我几乎不看篮球的。
November 28th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
Half-Full Glass
You try to look on the bright side, and optimism is a skill you’ve cultivated to help you weather life’s rough spots. All the same, you know it’s okay to admit when you’re angry or hurt. You’re neither blindly positive, nor prone to dwell on slights and injuries, and your generally positive outlook helps prepare you to take risks without being held back by bitterness or a fear of failure…..
How many types are there in this test ? Either half full or half empty?
Yan:
I’m not sure. There can be different types of “half-full” or “half-empty”. Depends on your answers, I guess. You are obviously the good kind of “half-full”.
November 28th, 2005 at 4:31 pm
你的这个博客，是我见过的此类博客中最好的，非常喜欢。
November 29th, 2005 at 2:48 pm
Em…my glass of water seems to be the same half full as Fishee’s.
I suppose you are the half-empty type?
Yan:
Not really. I go with the “half-empty equals zero” logic, so my glass has to be half full.
December 20th, 2005 at 2:15 pm
The song is great, although I’ve never heard that girl. Hope you would bring us more great videos/songs. Thanks.
Yan:
Kelly Clarkson is amazing.
April 13th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Greatest blog I ever see. Look forward to more from you. I am sure you are the “half full” type.
August 28th, 2007 at 9:37 am
oh,i learned this website when i tried to find the meaning of glass half full.i think it’s great and spotless~~i ‘ll come here frequently in the future!