Why put so much effort?

[Lone Apothecary]

Thank you so much for this article LA! I read it a long time ago and completely forgot about cynicism as a philosophy!

Its not about not caring at all, the fact that I care is what keeps me grounded, despite being hurt and disappointed, its the stuff that keeps me from becoming cold. But at the same time, I am also aware that the world is more evil than good. That's not pessimism. No, I don't think that everything in the world is meaningless, that all my efforts will be pointless. I just think that maybe 8 out of 10 people will be mean, that hardwork won't always pay off, that ignorance and cruelty will continue to rise in the world and the goodness will exist, but it will be scarce.

And that being selective is good. I don't know if I agree with the author on hating certain things, hate is a strong emotion. But I agree with choosing what to care about and what to give up on and accept, even if its terrible. Like I know that where I come from, animals will always be mistreated, and that doesn't mean I should stop donating to the shelters. It just means, that perhaps I can save a couple of animals with my charity, but not put an end to the entire problem.

Feel free to disagree, I just feel a sense of relief at this realization

You're more than welcome. Cynicism seems to have a strikingly bad reputation. That said, I will admit that a depressed, pessimistic cynic who takes no action and speaks out against nothing isn't really doing himself, or the world around him, any good.

If you didn't care at all, you'd be a nihilist. But you do care, perhaps you care a bit too much, so you feel you have to defend yourself from disappointments which are bound to come your way in our imperfect world. The key is not to let that consume you. You can start hating life and be cynical about everything, or as the article about positive cynicism stresses, you can be selective about it. There is good in the world; there is a lot of good in the world, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of bad in the world as well. As far as I can tell, the best thing you can do is to apply yourself to making a positive difference while either making an attempt to combat the bad or at least call it out for what it is.

Hate is a strong emotion, I agree, but there are things that I believe to be worth hating. Any form of abuse, discrimination, indoctrination, etc. That said, there are plenty of things worth loving, and that's what one should focus on. Keep the fires of hatred stoked, for the energy that can be drawn from it is invaluable, but never let it consume you. Instead, let yourself be consumed by a boundless love for life. In doing so, you can appreciate all the good in the world despite all of the bad. It takes a great deal of personal restraint and self-control, something I'm not wholly capable of at the moment, but I'm working on it.

Cynicism should always lead to apathy, never to manipulation. In fact, I'll go out of my way to force these people not to be manipulative, but rather apathetic. (Not being ironic at all...)

But yea, there are an awful lot of people who decide they're happy, and you're not living the way they are, thus you must be unhappy. If I had one wish, it'd be that (1) people stopped looking for leaders to tell them how to be happy/successful and (2) the other side, people stopped deciding they know how to run other people's life.

I don't think cynicism demands either apathy or manipulation. The only world view that "should always" lead to apathy is nihilism. Manipulation has little to do with it; that's more based on how much the individual cares for the well-being of others and themselves.

 

[blackdot]

Do you ever ask yourself why bother? Why bother trying, putting in so much effort, when time after time you are trampled on, taken advantage of, underappreciated and left used and drained?

Yes. All the time.
Each time I talk myself into trying again. But as I get older I come up with fewer and fewer excuses to keep doing it.
I figure I will give up completely sometime next year.

 

[duff]

Do you ever ask yourself why bother? Why bother trying, putting in so much effort, when time after time you are trampled on, taken advantage of, underappreciated and left used and drained?

Yes. All the time.
Each time I talk myself into trying again. But as I get older I come up with fewer and fewer excuses to keep doing it.
I figure I will give up completely sometime next year.

it's okay saying that but if you meet a woman you really like the look of, you'll be wanting to date her. The only thing you give up is the 'asking'

 

[blackdot]

but giving up asking means giving up getting turned down.

 

[bodafuko]

The only thing you give up is the 'asking'

The key is to tell as opposed to asking.

 

[BrokenInside]

I really feel sorry about all this Veruca. I know its really very hard but to make you feel better i would like to quote Gandhi here,
"When i despair , i remember that all through the history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall."

 

[Veruca]

I really feel sorry about all this Veruca. I know its really very hard but to make you feel better i would like to quote Gandhi here,
"When i despair , i remember that all through the history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall."

Thank you BrokenInside, I will remember it whenever I am mistreated =)

 

[Badjedidude]

Why put forth the effort?

Because the moment you stop striving is the moment you die inside.

I'd rather live.

 

[JasonM]

Why put forth the effort?

Because the moment you stop striving is the moment you die inside.

You get +1.