Notes

Diogenes And Cynicism In Modern Society
Our habit of framing our discussions in such language reveals our deep cultural cynicism. When people don’t believe their leaders care about them, not just as workers but as human beings, trust can’t thrive. And while it’s true that fake or contrived caring only increases cynicism, genuine caring dissolves it.
Cynicism Can Creep Up On You A Little Bit At A Time If You're Not Careful
The word ‘without’ in this context means in external things, which is where most people seek happiness, as opposed to how a good Cynic or Stoic gets their happiness from within. Diogenes was also the teacher of Crates of Thebes, who in turn was the teacher of Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism. Zeno taught that morality mattered above all else, like the Cynics, but also accepted that some “indifferents” were preferable and okay to pursue. If they were important to self-preservation, and this includes health and reproduction to some extent, Stoicism did not advise against seeking them. If you have ever heard the famous story of a philosopher who had the audacity to tell Alexander the Great to move out of his way because he was blocking his sun? And the philosopher who purposefully broke one of his only possessions—a cup—after seeing a child drink water with his hands (“Fool that I am, to have been carrying superfluous baggage all this time!”)?
The Contagious Sin Of Cynicism
As a “school” of thought, Cynicism ends in the sixth century CE, but its legacy continues in both philosophy and literature. It may be particularly demoralizing that some of the most outspoken critics of the left are Democrats themselves, reinforcing the cynicism among progressives that the Party is not a real vehicle for social change. Many people are indeed that cynical about politics, but cynicism is an ally of the status quo.
Psychologists Prove A Reciprocal Relationship Between Disrespectful Treatment And Cynical Beliefs About Human Nature
It is hopeless to try to disprove cynicism; there will always be an abundance of vivid examples to back up a catastrophic interpretation of humanity. But what identifies people as cynics is not so much what they claim – as why they do so. Their downbeat assessments are based not on dispassionate analyses of our species but on an inner emotional compulsion. Their philosophy is, first and foremost, a defence against suffering. A cynical person has a bleak outlook about others, always imagining that people are ruled by their worst instincts. http://isms.pk/members/smashprose6/activity/2585272/ was famous for saying cynical things like, "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." The original Cynics were ancient Greek philosophers who never had a good word to say about anyone.

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