Image via WikipediaHow can you say that? Isn't being cynical a negative character trait? Let's be sure what we are talking about. The definition of cynical is:
- Believing that people are motivated in all their actions only by selfishness; denying the sincerity of peoples motives and actions, or value of living.
If you are young and single you are not allowed to be cynical. Some have suffered disappointment. They may confuse cynicism with being sophisticated. They believe optimism is naive. It becomes their right to be sarcastic. They become so disillusioned cynicism follows. Get over it you don't have any wrinkles yet.
Sorry people, cynicism is for us 50 plus crowd, we've earned it. We have made it into an art. We have mixed our cynicism with wisdom and experience. Something the young can't do. We know when things we here or see are unrealistic. So the definition of this new cynicism is:
- Believing that "some" people are motivated in their actions only by selfishness; denying the sincerity of "some" people's motives and actions, or value of living.
If you can remember when we were kids and we would be talking to an elderly person probably 50 plus years old. We would be telling some lie or tall tale and they would give you this look. That is the cynicism I am talking about. It wasn't negative, it was a healthy disbelief.
This skill can only be attained by years and years of experience. Eventually, if your lucky, it arrives and becomes a tool to help you through life. But what can you do with it?
Like a knife it cuts through the BS. It slices away the lies and deception brought to us in our daily life. If you have this skill you have great power. People will underestimate you. Your able to make accurate judgements about politicians and your financial advisers. Your able to understand people more and in result interact with them better.
This ability not only sees the bad; it also sees the good in people. It as if you have x-ray vision to see their true heart. It can point out to you what person or problem is being injured in a particular circumstance. Knowing the problem it can help you pinpoint you efforts to solve problems. You see reality more clearer and so are able to proceed to deal with it.
Take pride in your cynicism. Its a helpful tool that will see you through all your life.
Once you get burned and deceived a few times, especially when it comes to money or putting your faith and trust in people, it's hard not to be cynical. It helps cut through the BS real quick and becomes a self-defense mechanism.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that. Its a tool for life.
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