Cynycism

Scanlas The 2nd · 24-06-2012 10:12AM #1

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 · 24-06-2012 10:15AM

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 · 24-06-2012 10:16AM

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 · 24-06-2012 10:29AM

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 · 24-06-2012 10:38AM

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 · 24-06-2012 11:04AM

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 · 24-06-2012 11:11AM

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

Shenshen · 24-06-2012 11:29AM

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 · 24-06-2012 11:30AM

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 · 24-06-2012 11:30AM

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 · 24-06-2012 11:33AM

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

stimpson · 24-06-2012 11:45AM

meh.

nlgbbbblth · 24-06-2012 11:51AM

whiplashed wrote: »

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

Look at Mr Suspicious. :rolleyes:

CodyJarrett · 24-06-2012 12:03PM

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Look at Mr Suspicious. :rolleyes:

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

bee_keeper · 24-06-2012 12:04PM

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

leggo · 24-06-2012 12:30PM

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 · 24-06-2012 12:33PM

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 · 24-06-2012 12:41PM

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 · 24-06-2012 01:11PM

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 · 24-06-2012 01:24PM

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

).

PK2008 · 24-06-2012 01:27PM

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 · 24-06-2012 01:40PM

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 · 24-06-2012 01:42PM

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 · 24-06-2012 02:24PM

Cynicism is often envy's overcoat ..

DjFlin · 24-06-2012 02:27PM

"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 · 24-06-2012 02:41PM

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 · 24-06-2012 03:04PM

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 · 26-06-2012 09:09PM

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 · 26-06-2012 10:11PM

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 · 26-06-2012 10:20PM

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 · 27-06-2012 11:10AM

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.

Cynycism

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