Cynicism

[Ernie]

A couple decades ago I was quite cynical. A number of things in life woke me up and made me want get free from it. As I began to get free of it, I noticed others who were bound in the same trap that I was.
So I wrote this article was a way of helping me evaluate myself and the progress I was making and published it for the benefit of others who were dealing with something similar.
I still deal with cynicism today, but I think I am much quicker to recognize it and take steps to address it.
I submit it here in case it is of benefit to someone who reads MN.
___________________________

Which is more Destructive: Ignorance or Cynicism?

A few years ago a friend challenged me about my attitude of cynicism.
“Cynicism. What’s that?” I wondered. “Isn’t it ok to be cynical?”
Not long after that, I worked with a young man who was extremely cynical. Cynicism is what this young man “lived on.” If he couldn’t be cynical, he would probably become depressed or suicidal.
Some more months went by and someone asked, “How can you function around here without becoming cynical?”
I’ve decided that if cynicism is not a good thing, I’d better find out what it is and what it does to people.

What is cynicism? Cynicism is an attitude that assumes people’s motives are selfish, people are not sincere, and people can rarely change their ways. Cynicism is an attitude that questions the value of living, of doing right, or learning God’s principles, etc. Cynicism is an attitude of scorning and sneering towards people who are too ignorant, too “humble”, too proud, too educated, etc.
Everyone one of is constantly bombarded with all sorts of sad things, that are directly and indirectly a result of the fall in the Garden of Eden. A father sins against his children and neighbors and won’t change his ways. A man works and plays, but stays ignorant all his life. A girl gets arrogant and proud. Thistles grow and grow. Natural disasters destroy property and lives. Youth hurt and avoid each other. Churches float along year after year without dealing with their problems. Governments fight and squabble.
There are lots of things that can make us cynical. Cynical people minimize how sad a matter really is by making humorous comments, pessimistic statements, sarcastic remarks, and negative statements about others.
Cynicism is a trap of Satan’s. It is a trap many people fall into and never get freed from. Cynicism keeps a Christian from caring, from growing, from getting advice, and from getting involved.
Cynicism makes us “spectators of life.” Rather than praying God would teach us how to love, and praying God would spare us from the blindness of others, we amuse ourselves with their inconsistencies, stupidity, and lack of desire to change. Cynicism becomes a “food” we live off of, and is a subtle way Satan can get into our hearts and destroy us.
Cynicism is a way of avoiding responsibility. Cynicism helps us discount the good of others because we suspicion their motives. Cynicism paralyzes a person, clouds his ability to make good judgments, and hinders his ability to discern. Cynicism has gripped many youth in North America and ruins them for life.
The more cynical we become, the more skeptical, critical, indifferent, scornful, calloused, resentful and resistant we become toward anyone helping us see our own problems.
After cynicism has done its destructive work for a number of years in a person’s life, he or she can sometimes becomes a sour person who doesn’t care much about others, a person who is a recluse or a loner, a person who finds it difficult to relate to anyone other than cynical people, a person who has a way of dampening the inspirations of others, or a person who finds it hard to be a good sport.
People develop cynical attitudes in order to cope with life, and coping is not “abundant living”. Engaging with life and with God is what gives meaning and purpose to living. These last two statements describe the primary difference between men and woman of faith and those who are not.

****************************
Here are some quotes about cynicism:

“Cynicism is the path of self-sacrificing destruction.”
“Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try.” - Peggy Noonan (1950 - ), in Good Housekeeping
“A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future.” - Sidney J. Harris
“Idealism is what precedes experience; cynicism is what follows.” - David T. Wolf (1943 - )
“Never be a cynic, even a gentle one. Never help out a sneer, even at the devil.” - Vachel Lindsay (1879 - 1931)

********
The Official Cynic's Self-Test –
How many of the following statements do you agree with?
1. You're overworked, unemployed, and underemployed or underpaid.
2. You're a lonely thinker stuck among semi-literates.
3. You've finally discovered that your society or community doesn't reward people like you.
4. You've discovered that the people who do get the rewards tend to be jerks.
5. You'd like to see all popular people exiled to Uzbekistan.
6. You cringe slightly when you hear people talk about the importance of being a "team player."
7. Politically correct zealots make you laugh (or cry).
8. You're inclined to believe that "personal growth" is some kind of tumor.
9. You're disillusioned, disenchanted and/or just plain disgusted with life or with people.
10. You find yourself wishing you lived in a different era, or could live in a different place.
12. You’ve concluded that all of civilization is going to hell.
13. You no longer really CARE that civilization is going to hell.
14. You wish you could find some decent folks somewhere in the world who feel the same way about things as you do.
-Adapted from the Cynics’ Sanctuary-
****************
It’s surprising how God gives us a new look at people and a new look at life whenever we repent and turn from cynicism.
First of all we see ourselves as one of many needy people who need the Lord, but… can change. We are no longer the spectator who is sneering at life and at others, we are one of many billions who have perhaps learned a few things, but also need to learn a lot from others.
One man said something like this recently, “Whenever one of my brethren comes to me with a complaint that does not seem legitimate or fair, I think, ‘Thank-you brother for your input. I choose to learn Christ with you!’”
An attitude like this is really the only way it is possible for us to learn, grow, get along with other people, and enjoy life. Cynicism does not bring true joy.

David and Solomon have much to say about scorners and cynical people.
Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (The first step in turning from cynicism is to separate ourselves in one way or another from those who are cynical.) Proverbs 1:22 “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning?” (Cynical people love being cynical.) Proverbs 3:34 “Surely [God] scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.” (God gives grace to those who take their sadnesses to him.) Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (The worst thing about trying to help a cynical person is that they will distrust your motives in helping them. Once a person is really cynical, it is extremely hard for them to want to get rid of it. It is the only life they know. Such situations take lots of prayer and fasting.) Proverbs 14:6 “A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.” (Cynicism is destructive, because a person can’t grow and be cynical at the same time.) Proverbs 15:12 “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.” (Have you ever noticed that when you are cynical, you tend not to want answers or counsel?)

In conclusion:
It’s rather unfortunate to be ignorant and uniformed about life. It is even more unfortunate to find ourselves sitting with our arms crossed, a sneer in our voice, and a smirk on our lips.
Something I’ve been observing is that a cynical spirit and the Holy Spirit don’t dwell very well together in the same body.
When the Holy Spirit is allowed to work in people’s lives, there is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
The wisdom from above makes them pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Let’s turn from cynicism, give our sadnesses to God, and engage ourselves with life.

-EE-

[RZehr]

Really good!

[steve-in-kville]

Very well written!

Another term I'll through at you is jaded, which is almost the same thing as being cynical.

I've been known to read between the lines and a lot of times I'm right. I also can become cynical, especially in the workplace, as we almost have to be to survive. But its more done in the name of humor, than to discredit anyone.

[Ambassador]

Very well written!

Another term I'll through at you is jaded, which is almost the same thing as being cynical.

I've been known to read between the lines and a lot of times I'm right. I also can become cynical, especially in the workplace, as we almost have to be to survive. But its more done in the name of humor, than to discredit anyone.

Steve, I don't know your situation, but just a thought experiment. Think of what an example of Christ you would be in your workplace if you would not follow the flow of negativity and cynicism in the workplace to survive and instead laid down that survival instinct allowed yourself to be mistreated and reviled. After all, he that will save his life shall lose it and he that will lose it for Jesus' sake and the gospel will save it.

[steve-in-kville]

I may have been misunderstood. We do it in a way that is humorous. Makes people laugh.

[Fidelio]

Cynicism is an attitude that assumes people’s motives are selfish, people are not sincere, and people can rarely change their ways.

And very true according to the Bible. However, it is not the knowledge that people are inherently selfish and sinful that hurts us, but it is how we react to that knowledge. Jesus' example is a good starting place for us to learn to deal with this knowledge and if we deal with it in a way that gets us labeled by others as cynics then we have not dealt with it properly. I was taught that love requires we put the best construction on people's actions. Cynics will usually put the worst construction on peoples actions.

[joshuabgood]

Excellent...