"An optimist believes that this is the best of all possible worlds.
 A pessimist 'fears' that this may be true."

Some possible starting points on your journey back to realism
(if you should choose to accept it) :

A bibliography of Barbara Ehrenreich.
The Jesus and Mary Chain - The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides and Rarities.
The Society of Mind
Thinking negatively can boost your memory
Organic Realism : ANW's "Process & Reality"