Cynycism

Scanlas The 2nd

Hope I spelled that right.

I despise it, not only the noun but also the adjective cynical.

It's a term I hate as it implies there is a possibility it makes sense to take everything at face value.

girl2

Well no, you didnt spell it right.

Anyway, I think an awful lot of people are cynical, and rightly so sometimes.

Just my tuppence worth.

Mr Benevolent

You do do that a Cynic* was originally following the Cynicism school of philosophy, right? Cynicism is simply another way of looking at life.

*Incidentally, 'Cynic' just means 'doggy'.

Pherekydes

Confab wrote: »

You do do that a Cynic* was originally following the Cynicism school of philosophy, right? Cynicism is simply another way of looking at life.

*Incidentally, 'Cynic' just means 'doggy'.

Would cynical sex mean doggy style?

wendell borton

The classical Greek and Roman Cynics regarded virtue as the only necessity for happiness. They sought to free themselves from conventions; become self-sufficient; and live only in accordance with nature. They rejected any conventional notions of happiness involving money, power, or fame, in the pursuit of virtuous, and thus happy, lives.[1] In rejecting conventional social values, they would criticise the types of behaviours, such as greed, which they viewed as causing suffering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynicism_(contemporary)

Given what went on this country in the last while I think they had the right idea.

Jester252

girl2 wrote: »

Well no, you didnt spell it right.

Anyway, I think an awful lot of people are cynical, and rightly so sometimes.

Just my tuppence worth.

It just a defense

im invisible

Well Ted, I'm very cynical, as you know...

Shenshen

Scanlas The 2nd wrote: »

Hope I spelled that right.

I despise it, not only the noun but also the adjective cynical.

It's a term I hate as it implies there is a possibility it makes sense to take everything at face value.

Not really, I don't think. To me it's a concept that allows us to verbally separate people who will always question any positive statement from those who tend to make those statements.

PK2008

Scanlas The 2nd wrote: »

Hope I spelled that right.

I despise it, not only the noun but also the adjective cynical.

It's a term I hate as it implies there is a possibility it makes sense to take everything at face value.

Are you having some kind of breakdown?

What happened to the old misogynist Scanlas The 2nd that had all the girls flocking from him?

shuridunno

I'm so cynical, the OH says..'no human emotion detected' in a robot voice before he hugs me, so it doesn't have to be all bad. Cynicism can be humourous.

CodyJarrett

Something about this thread and the OP doesn't seem genuine to me.

stimpson

meh.

nlgbbbblth

whiplashed wrote: »

Something about this thread and the OP doesn't seem genuine to me.

Look at Mr Suspicious. :rolleyes:

CodyJarrett

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Look at Mr Suspicious. :rolleyes:

That's eh, Mr.Cynical actually :cool:

bee_keeper

how cynical someone is depends on the kind of life they have had for the most part

leggo

The older I get, the more cynical I get. Viewing the world through that looking glass is the only thing that gives me peace; in that at least I can see the waffle, the falseness and the hypocrisy of people if not many others can.

Unfortunately, the vast majority prefer to live in a bubble where everything is a pleasant-sounding lie instead of acknowledging those harsh realities of the world and dealing with them appropriately. Oh well, it always comes back around somehow. You can't just run away from the truth forever.

bee_keeper

leggo wrote: »

The older I get, the more cynical I get. Viewing the world through that looking glass is the only thing that gives me peace; in that at least I can see the waffle, the falseness and the hypocrisy of people if not many others can.

Unfortunately, the vast majority prefer to live in a bubble where everything is a pleasant-sounding lie instead of acknowledging those harsh realities of the world and dealing with them appropriately. Oh well, it always comes back around somehow. You can't just run away from the truth forever.

if your life is pretty good , why spend time despairing about a world you cannot change

leggo

bee_keeper wrote: »

if your life is pretty good , why spend time despairing about a world you cannot change

Fair point, but it's not as if I'm despairing about it. It's just seeing fakeness and waffle for what it is, which is quite useful in a practical sense, or I'd end up sitting by myself in a restaurant every time someone told me that we should "do lunch sometime!".

I find you can succeed a lot quicker by viewing people for what they truly are, whereas while ignorance may be bliss in the short-term, like I said it always comes back around in some shape or form. If you keep trying to outrun the truth, eventually you'll get tired.

bee_keeper

leggo wrote: »

Fair point, but it's not as if I'm despairing about it. It's just seeing fakeness and waffle for what it is, which is quite useful in a practical sense, or I'd end up sitting by myself in a restaurant every time someone told me that we should "do lunch sometime!".

I find you can succeed a lot quicker by viewing people for what they truly are, whereas while ignorance may be bliss in the short-term, like I said it always comes back around in some shape or form. If you keep trying to outrun the truth, eventually you'll get tired.

what people truly are is often entireley subjective

leggo

Aye. Everyone thinks they're unique. That's the one thing we all have in common, ironically (told you I was cynical ).

PK2008

leggo wrote: »

Fair point, but it's not as if I'm despairing about it. It's just seeing fakeness and waffle for what it is, which is quite useful in a practical sense, or I'd end up sitting by myself in a restaurant every time someone told me that we should "do lunch sometime!".

I find you can succeed a lot quicker by viewing people for what they truly are, whereas while ignorance may be bliss in the short-term, like I said it always comes back around in some shape or form. If you keep trying to outrun the truth, eventually you'll get tired.

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3puabw/

Scanlas The 2nd

I believe people for the most part are driven by self interest. Some people would call that being cynical. I call it not having your head in the clouds.

Lollers

I think I can be quite cynical at times and to be honest it's a part of me I dislike. Some of the happiest people I know seem oblivious to the bluster and bull of life, head in the clouds, but they seem happy there, sometimes I wish I could join them.


Yet ah, why should they know their fate,
Since sorrow never comes too late,
And happiness too swiftly flies ?
Thought would destroy their Paradise.
No more; where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise.

paddyandy

Cynicism is often envy's overcoat ..

DjFlin

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who haven't got it." - Shaw

Kind of says it all really.

Scanlas The 2nd

DjFlin wrote: »

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who haven't got it." - Shaw

Kind of says it all really.

That quote sums up beautifully what I was trying to say.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I was going to say 'shouldn't this be in the cycling forum' then I read the title again. I have nothing further to add.

paddyandy

I still believe that people are mostly good most of the time and good all of the time when there is complete trust .Even bad people are good then .

Madam_X

leggo wrote: »

The older I get, the more cynical I get. Viewing the world through that looking glass is the only thing that gives me peace; in that at least I can see the waffle, the falseness and the hypocrisy of people if not many others can.

Unfortunately, the vast majority prefer to live in a bubble where everything is a pleasant-sounding lie instead of acknowledging those harsh realities of the world and dealing with them appropriately. Oh well, it always comes back around somehow. You can't just run away from the truth forever.

I'm the opposite. The older I get, the less cynical I'm becoming. Sure, IMO it's not good to take everything at face value and things should be questioned, but some people can be cynical for the sake of it and find a conspiracy in everything when often the answer is just the obvious one. The Ulster Bank mess for instance: there's talk of it being something sinister - it's a major ****-up but that's all it is.
There isn't an agenda behind everything behind everything unusual. What I'm getting more cynical about actually is cynics. : p

a fat guy

There is both good and bad in everyone...

I used to be cynical until I realised how little it actually mattered.

Now I am simply happy because I choose to be.

leggo

Onixx wrote: »

I'm the opposite. The older I get, the less cynical I'm becoming. Sure, IMO it's not good to take everything at face value and things should be questioned, but some people can be cynical for the sake of it and find a conspiracy in everything when often the answer is just the obvious one. The Ulster Bank mess for instance: there's talk of it being something sinister - it's a major ****-up but that's all it is.
There isn't an agenda behind everything behind everything unusual. What I'm getting more cynical about actually is cynics. : p

Hmm, like there is a valid point there. I think the 'best' way to be would be somewhere in between both viewpoints: able to see the best in people but, at the same time, not gullible. I think people generally tend to sway from one side rather than the other, though, as a perfect balance is almost impossible to find.

It's arguments like this that make you wonder, though. Did anyone here see the video posted on here a while back about a community that lived in the belief that Jesus Christ had been resurrected and they spent their entire lives as 'apostles' for this man who was either deluded or conning them (more likely the former, to be fair). They seemed to live a very peaceful, harmonious life, in a self-sustainable community untouched by recession, politics etc. They seemed happy. Further proof that ignorance is bliss. And, if they can live a life completely happy and content with themselves, is the truth not a fair trade off in that case?

However, on the other hand, they are also setting themselves up to be manipulated, conned and devastated, should it go wrong (and history teaches us these things have a habit of doing so eventually) and they realise they've devoted their entire life to fool's gold. Feel free to Google an article about those that believed in 'The Rapture' last year and what has happened to them since then for further proof.

So there's a fine line. I don't claim that my cynical way is necessarily the 'right' way. I also don't believe I see the worst in everything, I just question things that others may take for granted. But experience has taught me that this is the right balance that *I* need to achieve what I want to in life. Each their own, though.

Dr.Strange

It drains your energy being around a cynical person for too long.

They are like vampires.

Defiler Of The Coffin

Sometimes a healthy dose of cynicism is required. We could have done with a lot more of it during the boom-times.

Madam_X

leggo wrote: »

I think the 'best' way to be would be somewhere in between both viewpoints: able to see the best in people but, at the same time, not gullible. I think people generally tend to sway from one side rather than the other, though, as a perfect balance is almost impossible to find.

It's arguments like this that make you wonder, though. Did anyone here see the video posted on here a while back about a community that lived in the belief that Jesus Christ had been resurrected and they spent their entire lives as 'apostles' for this man who was either deluded or conning them (more likely the former, to be fair). They seemed to live a very peaceful, harmonious life, in a self-sustainable community untouched by recession, politics etc. They seemed happy. Further proof that ignorance is bliss. And, if they can live a life completely happy and content with themselves, is the truth not a fair trade off in that case?

However, on the other hand, they are also setting themselves up to be manipulated, conned and devastated, should it go wrong (and history teaches us these things have a habit of doing so eventually) and they realise they've devoted their entire life to fool's gold. Feel free to Google an article about those that believed in 'The Rapture' last year and what has happened to them since then for further proof.

So there's a fine line. I don't claim that my cynical way is necessarily the 'right' way. I also don't believe I see the worst in everything, I just question things that others may take for granted. But experience has taught me that this is the right balance that *I* need to achieve what I want to in life. Each their own, though.

Your take is similar to mine - somewhere in between cynical and not having to question/look for an agenda in everything.

Dr.Strange

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

Sometimes a healthy dose of cynicism is required. We could have done with a lot more of it during the boom-times.

Sometimes being the operative word there.

I work with someone who has a very cynical attitude all the time.

It really wears you down being around someone like that, like I said, they are like vampires.

Defiler Of The Coffin

Dr.Strange wrote: »

Sometimes being the operative word there.

I work with someone who has a very cynical attitude all the time.

It really wears you down being around someone like that, like I said, they are like vampires.

True.

But is cynicism the same thing as just moaning and whinging all the time? I used to work with a woman who constantly moaned about everything, but I probably wouldn't label her as a cynic.

Dr.Strange

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

True.

But is cynicism the same thing as just moaning and whinging all the time? I used to work with a woman who constantly moaned about everything, but I probably wouldn't label her as a cynic.

No, this person doesn't moan and whinge, just is sarcastic, pessimistic and is very underhandedly sneaky with regard to looking after his own interests in work.

Having been made redundant from a previous job, he is deeply suspicious of HR and the company itself.

A emotionally draining person to be around.

bnt

Me I'm with Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes Minister: "a cynic is what an idealist calls a realist". :cool: