On cynicism towards the human spirit

[BiscuitTrouser]

I used to be a hardcore cynic, then I grew up and realized that attitude is really counterintuitive, and is the exact opposite of the human spirit is and intended to be. It does no one any favors.

Yes, there are horrible things out in the world, but you know what? No one promised anyone a rose garden. The best anyone can do is just try and make the best of it, and if you let it get to you, then that's on you.

I'm still a cynic, but not as bad as I used to be, but I will say I've become jaded to the whole cynic thing. This may sound terrible, but the more cynical someone is the less likely I will pay attention to them since they're not helping.

You

I see a few major factors in this "I've lost faith in humanity" bullshit.

For one, the news filters out good news because that doesn't get good ratings.

There's also the idea that it's cool to be a cynic. But, more than that, the brand of misanthropy that elevates yourself rather than dragging you down with everyone else you've judged, feels quite good to indulge in.

You

Sure there are some real bastards out there, but they are on the far edge of the bell curve. I don't go into a meeting someone hating them just because they are human. I don't trust them and question their motives when they ask me certain questions, but I don't hate them.

And you.

Pretty much everything i want to say better than i could say it myself.

Being a misanthrope always strikes my as heinous arrogance. Sitting on your Golden throne, judging the filth masses of 7 BILLION people and presuming them ALL to have failed your ultimate test, then demanding that they fix it while you contemptuously look on and decry their every achievement. Get down from your imagined "throne" misnathropes.

I think about it this way. Ive interacted with thousands and thousands of humans in my reletively short life. Thousands. Hundreds of thousands. Just met, said hi, bought things from, helped in the street what have you. I can name, i dunno, about 10 who wanted to harm me or legitimately made my life worse off. Its silly to condemn those thousands for the actions of 10. They were honest people, like the OP said, just living. Just like me. Doing their best to be the best people they can, sure they fail sometimes, but we all do. No one is perfect. The least i owe then is to not treat their tangental existance to mine with hatred. Weve been locked in a room with eachother and told to make the best of it, and i can tell you that the group that wanders into the corner to talk about how shit the room is, or how shit all the people are, are NOT helping.

 

[crudus]

well your attitude can be very important...if your absolutly convinced everything is shit...then it will more likley be shit

I think you are confusing terms. I think you are referring to a pessimist rather than a cynic.

And you.

Uhh, I said I wasn't a misanthrope. I even explained the difference between cynic and misanthrope. I am just going to excuse myself from the irony of your rant.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

well your attitude can be very important...if your absolutly convinced everything is shit...then it will more likley be shit

I think you are confusing terms. I think you are referring to a pessimist rather than a cynic.

And you.

Uhh, I said I wasn't a misanthrope. I even explained the difference between cynic and misanthrope. I am just going to excuse myself from the irony of your rant.

What I said i totally agreed with you, the rant wasnt aimed at you, rather it was agreeing with you. I quoted you and if you read the quote i said this:

"Pretty much everything i want to say better than i could say it myself."

I was saying you posted something very intelligent and true... please read the quote. The rant wasnt at you. It was in agreement. Before you go ahead and attack me for ranting at you at least read the first line :/ The very first line.

You can excuse yourself from the rant to the room of people who i think legitimately posted intelligent comments instead XD I think you are too embarassed to respond though I dont blame you. No offence taken here :3

 

[Da Orky Man]

Dude, we've put this monster into orbit. I don't see how anyone cou be cynical about that.

Nearly all orbits decay. That satellite will eventually come crashing back to Earth if left alone.

Goodbye, New Mexico! We never really liked you anyway.

Yet this will keep on going. Given the chances of it actually hitting anything, Voyager 1 will just keep travelling. Keep travelling until heat death.

 

[Gloomsta]

People giving up on the world because no ones there to makes thing better for them.

And their attitude sucks in general.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Snippity snip snip

Exactly.

I don't understand why so many people that claim to be cynics have to condemn the many for the horrible actions of the few. What ever happened to judging someone on their own merits and excluding them from the rest of the group? This has always confused me. The human spirit is meant to help and be kind to one another, regardless of their actions, and should be held in high regard, but when someone spits that notion in it's 'eye' and says it's BS because of someone that they met or had to deal with for years then they're doing it wrong.

I really like that locked room analogy, and it's true. We all have to get a long, but the trick is that we don't have to be friends with everybody that we meet. The trick to getting through life is just doing the best you can with what you have and not everyone is going to be your friend. but you just make do.

Tis very irritating to me, and at the same time quite fascinating.

 

[Sebass]

I used to be a hardcore cynic, then I grew up and realized that attitude is really counterintuitive, and is the exact opposite of the human spirit is and intended to be.

You should've phrased that like this:

I used to be a hardcore cynic but then I took a realisation to the brain.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I used to be a hardcore cynic, then I grew up and realized that attitude is really counterintuitive, and is the exact opposite of the human spirit is and intended to be.

You should've phrased that like this:

I used to be a hardcore cynic but then I took a realisation to the brain.

I kinda want to chastise you for that, but I giggled for a bit, so I will forgive you for that.

 

[crudus]

What I said i totally agreed with you, the rant wasnt aimed at you, rather it was agreeing with you. I quoted you and if you read the quote i said this:

Sorry, I read it with a different tone that you intended. I only spend time on the computer between 12am and 2am, so you can imagine the state of mind I am in when I post. I read yours with a more condescending tone, as if you were disapproving of us misanthropes. Naturally I was confused since I said I wasn't a misanthrope. I will try to read better in the future.

 

[Kae]

I am not a cynic, I try to help out people as much as I can, and try not to judge anybody, but having lived in Tijuana I can see why people are like that, I mean Have you experienced so many shootouts to the point where you can sleep while they are happening?
I mean when I lived there I got so used to seeing corpses in crime scenes to the point where I wouldn't think about it twice when I saw one, but how could I not get used to it?, there was a new one every single day. And I didn't even had the worst, my teacher was completely traumatized because he had to pass through the street where all the child prostitutes were nigh every single day on his way to home, can you imagine that? It's one of the most horrible heart breaking things you could see and he had to see it every day, even though he doesn't live there anymore to this day he is still traumatized by it and still talks about it, it is engraved on his mind.
So really people have a reason to feel like that and though I may not be like that sometimes it's just hard to see the positive side of life when there's shit like this going on all over the place.