The Joys and Sorrows of Cynicism

I occasionally succumb to the temptation of cynicism.  There is a kind of delicious thrill in heaping scorn on the whole human enterprise.  Sometimes the hypocrisy, the pretensions, the duplicity, and all the contradictions are simply too glaring to ignore.  So, I shed all my idealism and most of my empathy and indulge my darker, more mischievous side.

I truly want to believe in the potential nobility of humankind, but it is often damn hard to discern among the pettiness and bad faith that one sees everywhere, and that often prevails in human affairs.  And there is something cathartic in allowing one’s cynical side to revel in the sheer absurdity of it all.  It purges one’s soul.

These bouts of cynicism are also born of a certain ennui or boredom.  I grow weary of the same conversations, the same topics - the vacation chronicles, the weather updates, the golf and fishing escapades, the stock market, the retirement plans.  The challenge of cleverly lampooning our sad, mediocre existences provides stimulating entertainment for a while.

But cynicism is a double-edged sword.  Its intoxication is short-lived and if indulged too long will eventually transform itself into a hangover of an even deeper despair.  The witty skewering of the world ultimately becomes a self-indictment.  It can paint oneself into a corner where philosophical escape is difficult.

So, beware the joys of cynicism, for the sorrows will surely follow, as night follows day.  It is best to sip from the cup rather than take long draughts.  Being a cynic is a lovely caprice, but making a career of it is bound to lead down a very dark path.