151–160 of 336 posts
In my experience cynics are just people who are afraid of the things they wish to be true, never becoming true, so they start to prophetically denounce the possibility of them ever being true to lift themselves of the curse of the hopes they hold deep inside. A bit like pessimists, but with one degree more of emotional disconnection — a disconnection of which they are sometimes proud of. Everybody knows the cynic tel…
Another good quote for the OP is Miguel De Cervantes, author if Don Quixote: "there is madness in too much sanity, and the greatest madness of all is to see things as they are instead of as they should be". He would know: Cervantes killed a rival on a duel at 17 and fled to sea. They were attacked by pirates and he fought well before getting his hand blown off and taken prisoner. He lived in captivity but befriended…
That is open to challenge - it might be that cynics have an advantage because they are better at biding their time until an opportunity arises. And are less likely to be demoralised because they are used to dealing with the general difficulty of it all.
It isn't like Cervantes had a fundamentally optimistic viewpoint. Don Quixote, as a great book, appeals to the views of cynics just as much as anyone else.
Being cynical does not mean being pessimistic. It does not mean to always think bad about other people. It means seeing things close to what they are. Yes, there is goodwill and kindness and altruism. And you should recognize them when you come across them. Just don't assume that anyone is being kind and good. Try to find what is the goal people are following when they say or do something. Because there is always a goal. Which might fit your own goals or not.
"By realizing that the world is always changing, and by stopping to complain, we opt out of seeing the world through cynical glasses, and become part of the change. When we realize that our life can change, we can change it."
The author actually meant this:
"By realizing that the world is always changing, when we stop complaining, we opt out of seeing the world through cynical glasses, and become part of the change. When we realize that our life can change, we can change it."
The meaning of the original text to a native English speaker is, I think, the exact opposite of what the author intended.
Otherwise, great thought-provoking article, and I think I'll try that no complain challenge. Interesting discussion here too.
Another good quote for the OP is Miguel De Cervantes, author if Don Quixote: "there is madness in too much sanity, and the greatest madness of all is to see things as they are instead of as they should be". He would know: Cervantes killed a rival on a duel at 17 and fled to sea. They were attacked by pirates and he fought well before getting his hand blown off and taken prisoner. He lived in captivity but befriended…
"We're all so sick and tired of seeing things as they are / Horses are just horses and their manes aren't full of fire / The fields are just fields, and there ain't no Lord"
and later
"Oh, oh, oh, well, this world is plain to see / It don't mean we can't believe in something, and anyway / My baby's coming back now on the next train / I can hear the whistle blowing, I can hear the mighty roar / I can hear the horses prancing in the pastures of the Lord"
You'll truly darken when you start seeing your everyday relations in the same way, and you don't have to.
I also tend to see large orgs in a cynical light, mainly because everyone I know says bad things about them.
But I find that plenty of people are still good people. You can still deal with them with your cards on the table, and they do the same with you. Plus there's plenty of things to appreciate that aren't rivalrous, eg nerd knowledge, that are interesting and create a bond when you can share them.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
IMO cynicism is not a problem on an individual level. It’s when the group has a lot of cynics is when we have a problem. Have you ever had to work with a group of “low energy” people? They’re not only just low energy — they’re energy vampires.
The converse is true, too. It’s absolutely sapping working with folks who’ll just repeat bullshit and call you a cynic for trying to helpfully point out the flaws in their thinking.
What do you do when the context itself is cynical? Like an authoritarian regime. In those cases “just being optimistic” is a laughable suggestion. This extends to the class and race struggle within “free” societies. To me, there’s a deep link between being oppressed and being cynical. When you’re left without choices you develop a “fixed” mindset.
Another good quote for the OP is Miguel De Cervantes, author if Don Quixote: "there is madness in too much sanity, and the greatest madness of all is to see things as they are instead of as they should be". He would know: Cervantes killed a rival on a duel at 17 and fled to sea. They were attacked by pirates and he fought well before getting his hand blown off and taken prisoner. He lived in captivity but befriended…