Cynicism is an attitude of distrust and pessimism toward the world and other people. It is characterized by the audacity to say or do things commonly considered reprehensible or disrespectful. For example :respond with a sarcastic comment when asked about something important.
Cynical people tend to be critical and skeptical, as they do not believe in social norms , and when they do follow them, they do so half-heartedly, often resorting to mockery or irony . Cynical people tend to question the good intentions of others and openly express their disapproval and rejection of customs and moral standards .
The term “cynicism” comes from a school of Greek philosophy that rejected social conventions as a way of life closer to nature. However, the meaning currently attributed to it differs from the philosophical one and primarily refers to an attitude of contempt, mockery, and hypocrisy.
- See also: Rules of coexistence
Characteristics of a cynical person
Some characteristics of a cynical person are:
- He has an individualistic behavior.
- He considers social norms to be hypocritical and therefore rejects them.
- He expresses himself shamelessly and falsely, that is, without caring whether others know he is lying or acting incorrectly.
- He challenges authority because he disbelieves in laws and social order.
- He has a critical attitude toward the world, but does not take action to change it, instead limiting himself to irony or mockery.
- He tends to distrust others and maintains a negative attitude.
Cynicism in philosophy
Some authors date the origin of the term “Cynicism” to Ancient Greece, around the middle of the 4th century BC. At that time, the philosopher Antisthenes (c. 444–365 BC) expressed his disenchantment with the prevailing philosophy and founded his own school. Antisthenes taught at a place called “Cynosargus,” and his attendees were thus known as “Cynics.”
Other versions attribute the term to a derivation of the Greek word kynikós , meaning “dog . ” Disciples of this philosophy considered it an honor to be called dogs, because they admired the animals’ simplicity.
The Cynics led simple lives, with little concern for hygiene and appearance. They rejected luxuries and excesses. When in society, they practiced anaideia , provocation and shamelessness as a way of reminding people of the deception they were living. Cynicism was a way of life based on contempt for convention . The most famous of the Cynic philosophers was Diogenes of Sinope (c. 412–323 BC), who proposed as the two great ideals of human life self-sufficiency ( autarkeia ) and apathy ( apatheia ). According to Cynicism, civilization corrupts human nature because it forces it to accept standards that do not belong to it.
Examples of cynicism
- A politician who comes to power after his party committed fraud in the elections and publicly claims he will defend democracy.
- A person who makes sarcastic comments on photos posted by family members on social media.
- A woman who cheats on her partner without feeling guilty because she claims that fidelity is an overrated value.
- A soccer player who makes a fraudulent play and mocks the referee when he is cautioned.
- A person who laughs at their friends’ problems because they think they are superficial.
- A teenager who believes that everything his parents say is wrong.
- An employee who praises his boss and pretends to be interested in his work when he knows he is being watched.
- A father who assures his children that nothing they do will have any effect on the world.
- A student who doesn’t listen to his teachers’ advice because he thinks they want to hurt him.
- A person who is selfish because he or she considers generosity to be just a way of pretending to be kind.
