--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, the pessimism which exists now…" description: "\"You know, the pessimism which exists now in the Middle East existed in Northern Ireland, but we stayed at it.\" — George J. Mitchell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/george-j-mitchell-21313_east_you-know-the-pessimism-which-exists-now_1112584.png" --- # You know, the pessimism which exists now in the Middle… ![“You know, the pessimism which exists now in the Middle East existed in Northern Ireland, but we stayed at it.” quote by George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/george-j-mitchell-21313_east_you-know-the-pessimism-which-exists-now_1112584.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/george-j-mitchell-21313_east_you-know-the-pessimism-which-exists-now_1112584.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/george-j-mitchell-21313_east_you-know-the-pessimism-which-exists-now_1112584.png) > “You know, the pessimism which exists now in the Middle East existed in Northern Ireland, but we stayed at it.” [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote draws a parallel between past conflict in Northern Ireland and current pessimism in the Middle East, suggesting that persistence can overcome such negativity. **In simple terms:** Past conflict shows pessimism can be overcome with persistence. Key Takeaway Stay persistent despite pessimism. Themes conflict resolution optimism history politics Mood cautious reflective determined Type political historical inspirational When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - community reconciliation - policy planning - media commentary Key Concepts peacebuilding resilience comparative analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders sustain hope in prolonged conflicts? - What lessons from Northern Ireland apply today? A Different Perspective Optimism may wane without concrete progress and leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [Northern ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/northern-ireland/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) ## Related quotes > [“I am not a Pessimist. Indeed I am not sure that I quite know what Pessimism really means. All I do know is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-am-not-a-pessimist-indeed-i-am-not-sure-that-i-quite-know-what/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I believe we've spent many years trying to bring about talks which have all the Parties in Northern Ireland involved so that there'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-spring/i-believe-we-ve-spent-many-years-trying-to-bring-about-talks-which/) [Dick Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-spring/) > [I would say that something important for me and for my generation in Northern Ireland was the 1947 Education Act, which allowed students who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-heaney/i-would-say-that-something-important-for-me-and-for-my-generation-in/) [Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-heaney/) > [My father was from Northern Ireland, and coming from somewhere like that, your faith defines you. That's something we don't really understand outside Northern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-maxwell-martin/my-father-was-from-northern-ireland-and-coming-from-somewhere-like/) [Anna Maxwell Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-maxwell-martin/) > [I think people from Northern Ireland have some kind of unspoken general feeling of what it is to be around segregation. You have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dornan/i-think-people-from-northern-ireland-have-some-kind-of-unspoken/) [Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dornan/) > [My dad was a keen actor when he was young; my auntie is heavily involved in amateur dramatics back in Northern Ireland, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dornan/my-dad-was-a-keen-actor-when-he-was-young-my-auntie-is-heavily/) [Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dornan/) > [My parents were Northern Ireland Labour party people. We read the 'Guardian' and the 'New Statesman,' listened to the BBC. The house was full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/my-parents-were-northern-ireland-labour-party-people-we-read-the/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [When I was growing up, Belfast City Hall was surrounded by security, and we had no access to it. But now, people come in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/when-i-was-growing-up-belfast-city-hall-was-surrounded-by-security/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) > [I grew up during one of Northern Ireland's most complex periods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/i-grew-up-during-one-of-northern-ireland-s-most-complex-periods/) [Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/) > [I loved my time growing up in Northern Ireland doing youth drama, that is where it all began for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/i-loved-my-time-growing-up-in-northern-ireland-doing-youth-drama-that/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) > [The reality of life in Northern Ireland is that if you were Protestant, you learned British history, and if you were Catholic, you learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/the-reality-of-life-in-northern-ireland-is-that-if-you-were/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) > [I've always been fascinated with Ireland, especially Northern Ireland, having lived in London in the '80s when there was an Irish republican bombing campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gordon-sinclair/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-with-ireland-especially-northern-ireland/) [John Gordon Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gordon-sinclair/) > [My sights have always been on acting, on the creative process, never the lifestyle. Growing up in Northern Ireland when I did, everything was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-morgan/my-sights-have-always-been-on-acting-on-the-creative-process-never/) [Colin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-morgan/) > [The basis on which the Good Friday agreement was constructed was in addressing those problems in the history of Northern Ireland, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-reid/the-basis-on-which-the-good-friday-agreement-was-constructed-was-in/) [John Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-reid/) > [It's a complicated relationship with the place one grows up in, particularly if it's Northern Ireland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/it-s-a-complicated-relationship-with-the-place-one-grows-up-in/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) ## More by George J. Mitchell > [My mother was an immigrant from Lebanon to the United States. She came when she was 18 years old in 1920.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/my-mother-was-an-immigrant-from-lebanon-to-the-united-states-she-came/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [So I developed very early a massive inferiority complex, and I've told the story often about how that inspired me later in life to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/so-i-developed-very-early-a-massive-inferiority-complex-and-i-ve-told/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I didn't want to make it a lifetime thing. I don't believe in statutory term limits, but people can limit themselves if they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-didn-t-want-to-make-it-a-lifetime-thing-i-don-t-believe-in/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I was born and raised in a small town in Maine, Waterville. I enjoyed living there - still do - and my goal in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-was-born-and-raised-in-a-small-town-in-maine-waterville-i-enjoyed/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [Our firm view is that the president has no legal authority, none whatsoever, to commit American troops to war in the Persian Gulf or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/our-firm-view-is-that-the-president-has-no-legal-authority-none/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I really owe everything to my parents and their devotion and drive to see to it that their children had the education which led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-really-owe-everything-to-my-parents-and-their-devotion-and-drive-to/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [When I went to college, my goal was to be a college history teacher. I majored in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/when-i-went-to-college-my-goal-was-to-be-a-college-history-teacher-i/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I enjoyed practicing law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-enjoyed-practicing-law/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [From my parents, I learned a very strong work ethic, and all of my brothers and sisters all worked from the earliest days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/from-my-parents-i-learned-a-very-strong-work-ethic-and-all-of-my/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I spent two years in the Army. And my older brother, who was also a great positive influence on me, encouraged me to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-spent-two-years-in-the-army-and-my-older-brother-who-was-also-a/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I had been involved in U.S. intelligence in Berlin, Germany, while in the military and had worked with a contact with the Central Intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-had-been-involved-in-u-s-intelligence-in-berlin-germany-while-in/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I'm glad I made the decision, although the practice of law - and particularly serving as a federal judge - was a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-m-glad-i-made-the-decision-although-the-practice-of-law-and/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [My father was the orphaned son of immigrants to the United States from Ireland. My father never knew his parents. His mother died -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/my-father-was-the-orphaned-son-of-immigrants-to-the-united-states/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I got a job with a law firm in Portland after a couple of years with Senator Muskie. But by then, my interest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-got-a-job-with-a-law-firm-in-portland-after-a-couple-of-years-with/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I believe there's no such thing as a conflict that can't be ended. They're created and sustained by human beings. They can be ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/i-believe-there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-conflict-that-can-t-be-ended/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) [Explore all 29 George J. Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) ## More East quotes > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I sound New York. I sound East Coast much more than a blonde person from L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kavner/i-sound-new-york-i-sound-east-coast-much-more-than-a-blonde-person/) [Julie Kavner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kavner/) > [You don't know whether he's thought through how this is going to affect the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/you-don-t-know-whether-he-s-thought-through-how-this-is-going-to/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [I love love songs. But I love pop music as well: Girls Aloud, Kylie, the Spice Girls, East 17, Mika.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele/i-love-love-songs-but-i-love-pop-music-as-well-girls-aloud-kylie-the/) [Adele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele/) > [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/) [Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/) > [When you're "East Coast" person, you are so insufferable, and you have no idea. And I was. One, because I was miserable, and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/when-you-re-east-coast-person-you-are-so-insufferable-and-you-have-no/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The spirit of the West, of America, is different than the East. The cultural conditioning is very different. It seems to be harder for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-spirit-of-the-west-of-america-is-different-than-the-east-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm from California, but my father, who passed away when I was young, was from Newark. When I was kid, we would go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-daly/i-m-from-california-but-my-father-who-passed-away-when-i-was-young/) [Carson Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-daly/) > [I remember my own life as a small boy, son of Jewish immigrants, in a janitor's flat on Orchard and Stanton streets on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-k-javits/i-remember-my-own-life-as-a-small-boy-son-of-jewish-immigrants-in-a/) [Jacob K. Javits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-k-javits/) > [We face a brutal enemy who will kill the innocent for one purpose and that is to gain control of the Middle East and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-face-a-brutal-enemy-who-will-kill-the-innocent-for-one-purpose-and/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [I certainly know that on our first tour of America in 1968, David Crosby came to see us backstage at the Fillmore East in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hayward/i-certainly-know-that-on-our-first-tour-of-america-in-1968-david/) [Justin Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hayward/) Browse all 2,277 East quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know, the pessimism which exists now in the Middle East existed in Northern Ireland, but we stayed at it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George J. 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