I'm somewhere in between these two thoughts. I consider, first and foremost, that life basically sucks. So from that "ground-floor outlook", you can only go up from there and not be too surprised if you get kicked in the teeth a few times on your way up.
I've found interesting that saying "being happy is a choice" (in the face of life's pitfalls). It took me a while to absorb it, but I think it's true and a good healthy outlook for living long. I'm definitely an optimist!
