So, do you want the good news first, or the bad news? CHOOSE!

Today a friend asked me that question of me either wanting to hear the good news, or the bad news first. It's been ages since I've been asked that question. While this might seem like a trivial observation, I thought about the approach to this question, and I wondered if it would indicate in a manner of how a person would think. I thought to myself, "does one who requests bad news first have a pessimistic view on things, or do they just want to get over whatever it may be and look forward to more sunnier things", and vice versa, if one requests good news first, to be followed by bad news if they are a positive thinker - an optimist.

I responded with a "bad news first please", so I could get over it, and then have the good news as a buffer to bring up the tone of the conversation again.

This thread brings up quite a bit of personal nostalgia. I remember in grade school where the teacher would ask “Now children, good news first or bad news? Let’s see a show of hands.” And a majority of the class would raise their hand to wanting to hear the negative news first. I found this to be the trend for most of the grades during elementary class, as well as a few in junior high class, “Okay class, the bad news is the class average on the test was 62%, however the good news is that everyone passed” (or something like that, I can’t remember something from 10 years back so cut me some slack okay).

What do you prefer, hearing the good or bad news first? Provide a reason or reasons why you choose to hear one particular side over the other, or if you really don’t care for either news.

Also, for those of you who say "do you want the good news or the good news first", then proceed to report the good news, followed that the 2nd "good news" that just turns out that there's no bad news, for fuck sakes, sorry to say but that's just lame.

Jam it back in, in the dark.