Cynicism is the gremlin that daily tempts us to surrender.

[Atticus]

Last edited Tue Jan 31, 2023, 11:24 AM - Edit history (1)

"Too many people are corrupt! The ones that aren't are apathetic cowards!" the gnarled imp whispers disgustedly. "Why dirty yourself by even trying to reason with the hoi polloi? Don't they actually deserve to be ruled by the biggest and baddest? Find a place to hide and keep your head down and your mouth shut!"

So far, I have kicked the little monster's butt each time he's sidled up unexpectedly to discourage me, but it's nothing if not persistent.

Be vigilant and prepared to resist, ok?

ADDENDUM: "the belief that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere"---from the Cambridge Dictionary

[Scrivener7]

1. But honest appraisal of a situation by the many is often

the impetus for the few in power to act.

[Atticus]

3. Agree. nt

[EYESORE 9001]

2. Those gremlins carry a disease

It’s called ‘apathy,’ which is debilitating in so many ways.

[The Magistrate]

4. That's Not Cynicism, Sir; It's Mere Defeatism

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it."

[genxlib]

5. It is the height of my priviledge

As a straight white male, I have the potential fall back position to just say "fuck it".

I have to remind myself every day that people within the marginalized communities do not have that luxury.

I owe it to them to stay engaged.

[Doc Sportello]

7. Great response! n/t

[BlackSkimmer]

12. Well, this gay woman considers herself to have every privilege you assume yourself to have.

I've rarely kept my mouth shut. I certainly can say (and have said "fuck it'.

Proud blue citizen living in a red area. No one has ever harmed my car with my Hillary sticker. Not a single problem with my Biden sign during the election.

Privilege, my ass, we ALL have the RIGHT!

[genxlib]

14. I may have miscommunicated

It's not that I have freedoms to speak out that you don't have.

I am coming at it from the opposite end. I am referring to the potential downside of conservative policies for me personally.

If Republicans win and roll things back to the fifties, my life doesn't get worse. I don't have to worry about my marriage, or a right to choose or surviving a traffic stop.

It would be the path of least resistance for me to give up and go with flow. Others don't have that luxury because their lives would be measurably worse, if not intolerable, under those policies.

I just see that as a huge priviledge that I have. Giving up the fight is a luxury because I actually have very little to lose myself.

I meant no offense so I apologize if I offended you

[BlackSkimmer]

15. I wasn't in the least offended, I promise.

It's just important for people to know that those of us considered "marginalized" by whomever are not afraid to speak out, nor have I ever considered myself "marginalized."

I've seen posts here where straight, white men and women are afraid to place political signs in the yard or on their car. And they don't even live in the south lol.

Fear is not a place I live, no matter where my residence might be.

[Chainfire]

6. There are times when people are accused of defeatism or cynicism, that they are just looking,

at the unvarnished facts. Non of us can see into the future, but some of us can look at the present and make a judgement that is so uncomfortable that others want to cover it with a blanket of faith insisting, without proof, that things will get better. Cynicism and optimism are flip sides of the same coin an should both be judged by the same rules. Neither the argument that, "Trump is going to jail" or "Trump will go unpunished" can, at this time, be considered as the truth. The cynic looks at the evidence and says, with authority, that Trump is unpunished today, and are unimpressed by the arguments of the optimist.

A cynic looks at the world with the belief that good does not always prevail over evil. An optimist believes that truth and justice will always win as long as they "keep the faith." It is not universally true that a cynic is a defeatist any more that claiming that an optimist is a fool.

[Mysterian]

8. Good post

It's difficult to not become cynical when you see a bum like Trump become president and tens of millions of Americans blindly loyal to his hateful and anti-American agenda.

[Sympthsical]

9. Cynicism is what prepares people for reality

Cynicism doesn't mean to surrender or give up. Cynicism means to temper one's expectations and prepare for that which is most likely to occur.

If I tell my nephew, "Hey, you should do your homework," and I know he's going to play video games instead, that's cynicism. It's also most likely what's going to happen. I am not surprised by this fact. So what I will do is prepare for this with an array of actions I may take when events follow their usual route. If he does not do it, mention we won't go play tennis until it's done. Or maybe tell him we're not going shoe shopping if it doesn't get done.

Cynicism is the opposite of faith-based optimism. People operate a certain way. It's just how the world works. I hope he does his homework, but I'm not going through life being ambushed by surprise over foreseeable outcomes.

Cynicism isn't surrender. It means I'll worry about the shit I can affect and not expect too much from the things I can't.

And hey, when shit actually does happen, it's a happy little surprise. I'd rather good surprises than bad ones.

There's a difference between faith and optimism and being oblivious and blinkered to the reality of events and the world we live in because one is invested in some way, be it personal, political, or social, in the denial being true.

[Irish_Dem]

11. Yes facing reality is the first step when solving any problem.

But facing reality is hard for us as humans, so sometimes it is a slow process.
Sometimes denial is good, it protects us from seeing stuff we cannot handle.

But yes, happy talk isn't going to get must serious jobs done.

[BlackSkimmer]

13. This. nt

[Irish_Dem]

10. Cynicism is the flip side of idealism.

So we are all kindred spirits.