ECONOMICS (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -"Is the glass half empty or half full?” is a proverbial phrase, used rhetorically to indicate that a particular situation could be a cause for pessimism (half empty) or optimism (half full), or as a litmus test to simply determine an individual’s worldview.

Detailed explanation-2: -What does the glass is half full mean? The glass is half full is a phrase used to describe a person as being an optimist, meaning they view things hopefully or positively, as in Shira always sees the glass as half full and nothing ever seems to bring her down.

Detailed explanation-3: -A ‘glass-half-full person’ is an optimist, someone who always thinks that good things will happen. Meanwhile, as you might imagine, a ‘glass-half-empty person’ is a pessimist, someone who always thinks that bad things will happen.

Detailed explanation-4: -The optimist sees the glass as half full – focusing more on what is there and all that could be done with half a glass of water. The pessimist sees the glass as half empty – focusing more on half the water being gone and, eventually, the glass becoming empty.