Passing Cynicism on the Road to Recovery

Cynicism - An attitude of scornful or jaded negativity.

When I grew up, my peers and I were told by teachers, parents, television, politicians, the tales of historical figures, etc, that we could accomplish anything.

The sky was the limit.

If you put your mind to it, anything was possible.

When I became a teenager and grew into an adult, I started realizing that wasn't true.

What was true is that life was a hard, complicated thing.

What was true was that there was very little that was cool that was really optimistic or hopeful.

What was true was the plentiful hilarity to be found in mocking those who still clung to the "childish" belief that gosh darn it, you really could do whatever you put your mind to!

What losers; still in denial to the harsh realities of life. They weren't as sophisticated as me, clearly.

They just didn't "get it".


Bullllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllshit.


Now, to be clear, I didn't grow up into a pessimistic beatnik poet or something, but I feel I did succumb to a common thing I've seen in this society: coping with life while growing up, which is hard, through developing a sense of cynicism.

Like many things that seem so genius and had a hand in guiding my actions during my teens and early twenties, I am glad to say my position has changed for the better on the issue.

I'm really glad my position has changed.

Because cynicism is fucking garbage. It's poison.

You know what cynicism does?

It keeps us from things we might end up enjoying: movies, books, music, art, etc. No way we'd ever watch THAT type of a movie. No way we'd listen to country, jazz, classical, rock, or whatever. Ha, that's a good one. People who listen to *insert genre/artist/song here* are ridiculous. No way.

It tells us the powerful quotes of inspiration and truth we hear are just superficial cliches with no real value to us.

It stops us from going to the store to buy healthy food because all those mean people there will just laugh, and point and stare anyway.

It keeps us from deeper, more meaningful relationships with people because how can we ever really be vulnerable with them, trust them, and get close. After all what are their motives? What are they really after? They'll probably just hurt us or use us.

It tells us screw it, no point applying for that job. Nobody wants to hire a big fat person, they'll just discriminate against us. It'll be a waste of time. Why even bother?

It snidely asks what's different about us? Why won't we fail, and fade into the faceless obscurity of the unsuccessful statistical majority? Why?

It tells us to give up, we can't really change. We're kidding ourselves. We're being the same as those obnoxious, relentlessly hopeful bastards who spew their lies from the pages of self help books, motivational speaker conventions, and pulpits all over this county. So snap out of it, it can't be done. Get real.

But all of that is false.

Cynicism shuts doors in life. It closes the windows. It destroys possibility, and opportunity.

It limits, it narrows.

There's nothing smart, or sophisticated, or mature, or wise, or good about it.

Because, wow, what a life is cynicism huh? Missing out on music that could've grown into a great joy in your life, spending copious time mocking others for who they are or what they enjoy, not even applying for the job that could've launched a new direction in your career, getting fat on fast food and delivery because you can't face the people at the neighborhood market, missing out on a friendship or romantic relationship that could've lasted a life time and/or provided lessons, learning, fun, and growth. Being paranoid, suspicious, bitter, hateful, scornful, angry, jaded, prideful, arrogant.

I want to keep moving away from that

I want to spend my life acknowledging reality (including the negative), but FOCUSING on the positives.

I want to spend my life being open to people, experiences, ideas, actions, etc.

I want to spend life fighting that urge inside that can counter a hopeful, optimistic thought with nagging doubt and a mocking dismissal.

I want to remember that I CAN accomplish my goals, and the goals that will come after that, and the ones I can't even begin to foresee that will come after that.

I'll end with some quotes who's truth, earnestness, and hope I choose to no longer ridicule or doubt.

Instead, I choose to work hard to manifest their truth in my life.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” --Dr. Seuss

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." --Colin Powell

"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right"--Henry Ford