Quote:

Prometheus said:
I would call wanting to change the world for the better to be, inherently, optimistic...



Okay, and I understand we are starting to argue a bit in a circle here, but many of history's greatest dictators wanted to change the world in ways that they considered to be "for the better." And, as Piggy noted, even George Bush and his neocons believe they are changing the world for the better.

So, does that make any story where someone wants to change the world "for the better" and uses force to do so, optimistic?

Or, to leave the comparison to real world figures, for about forty plus years now, we have read stories about how Victor VonDoom, if only given the chance by that accursed Richards, would have used his powers to, he believes, change the world for the better. Byrne even did a story or two where he indicated that, by some standards, Doom was actually somewhat of a benevolent dictator in the eyes of Latveria.

Are those stories "optimistic"?

I could be wrong, but I get the impression that you think the Authority is optimistic because you happen to agree with their ideas of what constitutes "better".