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> about spotting when optimistic messages are hiding a power-grabbing scheme of some kind IMO that's not being cynical. That's actually an universally positive
by ratww 5y ago
> about spotting when optimistic messages are hiding a power-grabbing scheme of some kind
IMO that's not being cynical. That's actually an universally positive trait: being able to spot power-grabbing schemes.
The problem with the negative side of cynicism described in the article is that, (to follow your example) the power-grabbing scheme is not the thing being detected, but rather the display of optimism. Every display of optimism is treated as being a power-grabbing scheme, or worse, naivety.
The things cynics end up attacking in the end isn't the power grabbing per se, but the optimism.
The answer is not to attack everything optimistic, but also neither to attack nothing. Life is hard.
- hoseja 5y agoThat is what is derogatorily called cynicism in the OP. Perhaps as one studies history they find that all forms of positive change conceivable by mere humans have been co-opted and are accounted for in the extremely energetic struggle of the system to remain alive, as it has been selected for very much Darwinistically.
- ratww 5y ago> That is what is derogatorily called cynicism in the OP. Then, there are clearly two things being called cynicism here. Arguing that the author is wrong because X is good when the author is actually talking about Y is a fruitless exercise. > Perhaps as one studies history they find that all forms of positive change conceivable by mere humans have been co-opted and are accounted for in the extremely energetic struggle of the system to remain alive, as it has been selected for very much Darwinistically. That still doesn't and won't ever mean that positive change is negative. If you're still throwing the baby with a bathwater, you're the bad kind of cynic.