The worst thing about so many of these "positive people" is that their comments are meaningless and their opinions carry no weight. If everyone and everything everyone's doing is "great", "great" has become synonymous with "average","typical" and "unremarkable".
I don't view myself as a "negative person", although I've been repeatedly diagnosed as such by "positive people" for pointing out truths that they would have preferred to ignore indefinitely. At the end-of-the-day, these "positive people" make up the bulk of humanity and the universe is constantly ridding itself of them through the natural consequences of their actions.
I think you are going about this all the wrong way. You seem to think that most people who use positive words are just putting up a facade and using these words for the sake of using them.
Consider the co-worker who acknowledges hard work you do, and appreciates you for your effort. This acknowledgement gives this you a sense of accomplishment, which in turn makes you feel happier and better.
Consider the neighbor who offers help when he notices you have a problem with your car, or gives you advice that helps you solve your problem easier.
Consider the person who recognizes that you have a disability or health defect, and chooses to help you and provide you with positive reinforcement to help you focus on progress and feel better about your situation.
I think the article, and the notion of "positive people," is more than just throwing a word around. It's about people who add weight and meaning to their words through thoughtful consideration and genuine compassion.
Indeed; if everything is special/important/priority/good, then nothing is special/important/priority/good. Words have meaning dually by the set of things they name and the set of things they don't.
