The Cynics Among Us

Some people think it is smart and sophisticated to be cynical. We see a lot of this in the world today. It’s an easy mindset to fall into, evidenced by checking any one day’s social media feed. The trouble is, cynicism does not help solve the challenges before us.

Do you know anyone with a cynical attitude? Most likely, you do. Cynics believe that people are motivated by selfishness. Cynics come off as scornful and contemptuous of anything that looks like virtue or integrity. Cynics pride themselves on having a “realistic approach” and mock those with a more optimistic view. But have you ever noticed that cynics, more than likely, are unhappy people? They are not only unhappy, but they seem dead to the spiritual values that give life meaning.

You might have heard cynics described as failed idealists who commit a kind of intellectual suicide. Now that may seem a bit extreme, but think about it. Cynics build no bridges, make no discoveries, and expect people to behave badly. They see no room for improvement, so they abandon hope and, in the process, give up their power to act and bring about change. In effect, cynics give up on themselves before they give up on everyone else.

Now, our minds are nourished by a continual supply of new ideas, which we then put to work with a purpose in mind. But if there are no worthwhile new ideas, as the cynic believes, the mind becomes stagnant. A stagnant mind is a danger to its owner and worse than useless to the community at large. It’s also a tremendous waste of possibility and potential.

So, refuse to be influenced by the nay-sayers and cynics in your midst. Hold to your hope and humor, your ideals and dreams, your compassion and imagination. For it is these things that give life meaning and bring us all a better world.