Cynicism Is A Coward’s Way To Live

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[kungfujoe]

just work harder for no reward is worse

[Den-Geist-Befreien]

He has a "cynical" view on cynicism

[HtUsa]

Never met a person in chronic pain. Truth ends up being that even when things are good they are horrible

[arc]

I don't think Chris has never suffered anything bad and that he is delusional optimist like some people are saying - he is advocating positivity here to people that are too extreme in the negativity. Extreme of either is bad.

[RjBurger]

A cynic is a passionate person who does not want to be disappointed again

[jeran]

It's real easy to be an optimist when it's all going your way. Not so much when they are not.

[edgarstaskans]

Im always ready for the worst, so I'm never let down. It comes from my negative reinforcement upbringing. Our positive reward growing up, was not being punished.

[Jinkaza]

As I have told many. I am a cynic with a hope that I am wrong. I want to be wrong. I will work to be shown wrong. But I am not getting taken off guard again. When advantages are able to be pressed, humans will push to use them.
I then beg you all to help me be wrong. I want to be wrong.

[JohnAnderson-evlp]

How long are you going to dream in delusion.

[usedforks]

This is nonsense because it’s perfectly possible to hope for the best and expect the worst at the same time. It’s called pragmatism.

[whiskysoundsgood]

When you live enough life you realize that there’s a reason for a healthy amount of cynicism. It’s called being in touch with reality. Sure being optimistic all the time would be wonderful. But so would no wars, a fair corporate paying structure and no crime. Not happening.

[JohnJohnCrusher]

I'm constantly pleasantly surprised by life. Instead of constantly disappointed.

[ChrisWestin]

Yes. WRT it being a coward's way to live: it's a trauma response. Abusive parents and bullies taught me never to expect too much, and to keep my expectations low to avoid disappointment.

[brettldouglas]

Chris Williamson needs to experience family law court.

[davidm]

This is something I'm struggling with now. I built my coping strategies around expecting the worst, and it made me cynical. I turned myself into a monolith that doesn't move no matter how much crashes against it, but at the cost of rooting myself in that turmoil and severely limiting my capacity for optimism and faith.

It's not enough to be an immovable object. You also have to be the unstoppable force.

[BigbyOShaunessy]

Cynicism is born from feeling that one is continuously held back or suppressed. It’s used as an excuse to surrender to life’s difficulties. However if one refuses to surrender and strives to progress despite the difficulties, they are pragmatists.

Both cynicism and pragmatism are dependent upon a clear view of reality. All that matters is one’s mindset on how to deal with reality.

[activeunsub]

That's one way to look at it, but there's more to it than that. That viewpoint ignores important considerations like who, what, why? For instance, a person can hope for the best but still prepare for the worst, perhaps bc they've seen or been through some things & they'd rather not be caught by surprise or unprepared should the worst happen or things not work out. That doesn't make them a coward, it makes them prepared.

[CoryMickey]

The world is shitty but it doesn't mean your life has to be.

[triskelionchi]

While I may have the shittiest day ever I don't lament it or even hold on to it. I keep my heart open no matter how much or often it hurts, I embrace pain along with pleasure and keep my eyes on the good horizon while planting my feet firmly wherever I am.
When you don't resist what is or hold preferences, and remain open to whatever comes, whatever happens is embraced and there is a richness of life that's experienced as both the bitter AND the sweet. Even if my thoughts are going nuts, I just let it pass and enjoy the passing show.
Cynicism from my perspective is a way of coping with living as a character lugging around a tangle of memory, pains, wants, unmet needs and so on that often we mistake for who we are. Essentially choosing to default to the lowest as not to be let down.
It seems to me it's better to stand nowhere, and let life go up and down without any mental gymnastics or resistance to avoid the inevitability of pain. Better to work on our relationship with pain and to understand how we cause ourselves to suffer.
I would rather love and live fully with a thousand spears sticking out of me than to close off to all that, to me, makes life so beautiful.

[ajstrickler]

As a Minnesota Vikings fan, I really needed to hear this. Thanks!