Two Kinds of Cynicism

I am neither a Republican or a Democrat.  I'm not really even a Libertarian.  

I am a cynic.

As a cynic, I assume the worst about government institutions and the politicians that run them.  I assume that the vast majority of politicians are corrupt, and that the percentage of corrupt politicians is directly proportional to the level of government to which they have risen.

As a cynic, I assume that government agencies are the worst possible solution to any given societal problem.  This assumption is based not only on the aforementioned corruption inherent in institutions run by the powerful elite, but also because government agencies are inevitably inefficient.  When Uncle Sam gets involved, quality goes down and cost goes up, almost without fail.

As a cynic, I assume that the vast majority of people will continue to accept the narrative propagated by big government, big tech, big media, big pharma, etc.  I assume that most people are sheep who will be sooner slaughtered than convinced to work for change.  They are more than content to enjoy their bread and circuses and then die. 

As a cynic, I assume that everything I see on TV and the Internet is untrustworthy.  It's not that I disbelieve everything I see; I just don't necessarily believe anything that I see.  I know that both sides of the aisle are full of crap, so I assume that any claims made are influenced by a number of presuppositions and biases.  Given recent technological advances, even video and audio are no longer reliable.  Taking everything with a grain of salt, as the saying would have it, is the only safe path.

This may sound like a rather depressing existence, but it really isn't.  At least, it doesn't have to be.  

You see, there are two kinds of cynicism.  On the one hand, cynicism can lead to restlessness.  Many cynics, driven mad by virtue of their open eyes, are pushed to activism, extremism, etc.  The world is burning down around them and they will, if necessary, drive themselves insane trying to convince their fellow citizens to fix society's problems.  They recognize injustice and they will not stop until every last injustice is rectified.  This kind of cynicism often morphs into paranoia, which leads to gullibility and conspiracy theorizing, which leads to looking like a fool and/or being a fool.  These well-meaning folks are constantly fixating on politics and can become depressed or angry, depending on their personal predispositions.  Social media did not invent this personality type, but it certainly exacerbates it.

I am not this kind of cynic.

There is another kind of cynicism, one that embraces realism without devolving into anger or hopelessness.  For some of us, cynicism leads to peace.  We scroll down through the folly on our Facebook walls without growing embittered because we know that both sides of the political spectrum are painting the other in as negative a light as possible.  We turn on the news and laugh because we know that any truth being shared has been ravaged by bias and bathed in propaganda.  When The Right and The Left accuse each other of the same exact thing, we know that normally they are both correct.  

We have learned to let go.   

Others may view us as apathetic or unprincipled, but, I assure you, that is not the case.  We have beliefs and ideals, but we have come to accept that there is nothing we can do to change peoples' hearts or minds.  We understand that it is not our duty, nor is it in our power, to change the political landscape of our nations.  All we can do is love our neighbor and speak the truth; the rest is in God's hands.

That last clause is key.  My brand of cynicism leads to peace precisely because it is coupled with Christian hope.  I know that my God is in control.  I also know that the United States of America is not the climax of history, Christian or otherwise.  Good things will happen, and so will bad things, but my responsibilities remain the same.  Plenty and Peace threaten as many spiritual dangers as poverty and persecution, so we must always be sober and alert, regardless of the political, religious, and economic climate of any given era.  Politics, the beloved idol of our day, offers no solutions to the problems that lie at the heart of our never-ending series of crises. 

So, if you're looking to join a new political movement, look no further!  We don't really have meetings or slogans or cool hats, but we do have memes.  Embrace the darkness.  Become a cynic today! 

#teamcynic