"Cruelty to others can be a kindness to some."

Ryland is passive at best. The only time we ever see him hopeful or optimistic is in regards to his kids (which again, reinforces the idea that he HAS been brave, that he fully understands what Yao means by “finding someone to be brave for”). But Ryland is not an optimist.

He realizes he’s been sent into space and goes on a bender to try and cope. He immediately assumes that the Blip-A is something he needs to get away from. He then proceeds to assume that the Blip-A is throwing a bomb at him. He tries making a joke about centrifuges and butter and the thought dies halfway through and he’s retreating in on himself and banging his head against the door frame.

Ryland is optimistic about other people but he himself is not an optimist. He’s passively optimistic that others will figure it all out and in the book I’d argue he’s more practical than anything else.

Simon, by contrast, is the optimistic one.

“What’s more likely? That all the stars and planets vanished or that a handful of stations did? If it happened before, can’t it happen again?”

It’s the fact that despite ALL evidence to the contrary, Simon still believes Ava and the COI will uphold their end of the deal and grant him his freedom. It’s his unwavering belief that he is going to survive this situation. Even in the end, he still believes that the black box will get to the surface, that his sacrifice will have meant something.

Simon, unlike Grace, is not optimistic about people (in fact he’s probably quite pessimistic, see “they abandoned me just like they abandoned you”) but he is optimistic about his own abilities and in his ability to force others to see his inherent value.

IM HERE I SWEAR- *trips on my shoe and falls* 3/3….

you r already this hot, and you still wont take off your helmet？