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Cynicism tends to go hand in hand with defeatism. I have no problem with cynicism, if you're the rare person willing to take steps to fix or mitigate the probl

Cynicism tends to go hand in hand with defeatism. I have no problem with cynicism, if you're the rare person willing to take steps to fix or mitigate the problems you are cynical about. In the more common case, it just leads to giving up. Cynicism is a mistake when it leads to inaction, and inaction is responsible for a lot (arguably most) of the world's problems. I've known people who didn't recycle because they were (maybe still are, we've lost touch) cynical about whether enough other people would do it to matter. The cynicism is getting in the way of action. No, I don't have a suggestion for what to do about abuse of employees! I know this is not the most helpful, but I'm not the cynic about this. I'm a cynic about other things, but only when I do have a course of action.

patrec 4y ago
It's so nice of you to grant people posthumous permission to have been cynical about Hitler's promises of peace or Nazi ideology in general, provided they were deeply committed to making Nazism actually awesome. You seem blind to the difference of being lazily cynical about something flawed but ultimately beneficial (and with flaws that you could help address) and seeing through cons dressed up in edifying language about noble causes. Ignore it at your own peril. A lot of very sincere communists met a sticky end under communism as a reward for the sincerity of their beliefs, and very sincerely trying to embody "googly" (etc.) values as espoused by HR may well proof equally terminal (if only to your career). Especially as a slightly aspergery nerd prone to take policy statements at face value. > inaction is responsible for a lot (arguably most) of the world's problems Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm; but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves
- amalcon 4y ago
  Well that was a quick Godwin. If I wanted to, I could make a very strong case that cynicism was a factor that led to the rise of the Third Reich (I'd be paraphrasing a book I read some years ago). I'm not going to make that case because frankly the fact that you jumped right there is indicative that it's not a discussion worth having.

patrec 4y ago

It's so nice of you to grant people posthumous permission to have been cynical about Hitler's promises of peace or Nazi ideology in general, provided they were deeply committed to making Nazism actually awesome. You seem blind to the difference of being lazily cynical about something flawed but ultimately beneficial (and with flaws that you could help address) and seeing through cons dressed up in edifying language about noble causes. Ignore it at your own peril. A lot of very sincere communists met a sticky end under communism as a reward for the sincerity of their beliefs, and very sincerely trying to embody "googly" (etc.) values as espoused by HR may well proof equally terminal (if only to your career). Especially as a slightly aspergery nerd prone to take policy statements at face value. > inaction is responsible for a lot (arguably most) of the world's problems Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm; but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves

amalcon 4y ago
Well that was a quick Godwin. If I wanted to, I could make a very strong case that cynicism was a factor that led to the rise of the Third Reich (I'd be paraphrasing a book I read some years ago). I'm not going to make that case because frankly the fact that you jumped right there is indicative that it's not a discussion worth having.