Fundraising Optimism vs. Stupidity

I have recently been filling in the gaps in my education (or perhaps the gaps in my memory) by listening to history courses from The Teaching Co. as I drive. I am currently tackling “A History of Russia: From Peter the Great to Gorbachev.”

A few days ago, the course professor shared a quote from Nikolai Bukharin, a prominent leader in the Marxist party who was later executed by Stalin. When reviewing some plans proposed by the party leadership, he said, “There really ought to be a difference between optimism and stupidity.”