Our teacher mentioned something the other day that I had noticed unconsciously but couldn't put into words: the French are pessimistic. Not just one or two, but all of them seem to look for the bad. Why is that?

Our professor mentioned that the negative phrasing is more commonly used. Which means, if they want to say that it's hot, they'll say "It's not cold in here." Even for positive expressions, like "The bus is always on time," they will say "The bus is never late." By the definition of their language construction, they will say everything negatively. And I think, eventually, that gets into your psyche. Maybe that's why people think the French complain all the time. It's true, but it's something that's bred into them by their very language. Not an excuse, but something to think about.

Moral of the story: say things positively. It can affect the way you think!