What Is a Cynic?

Our culture is full of snarky cynicism.

When there is nasty noise around me, I do whatever I can to turn that noise into something that is more useful or generous or generative. I’ll admit it is hard. It takes a lot of effort to reduce the noise. It takes a lot of emotional labor. 

And why?

Because the antidote to the noise isn’t simply ignoring it. The antidote is empathy. 

Yeah, empathy. 

When I hear a snarky remark, when I hear someone being cynical, I recall something I heard the extraordinary Benjamin Zander say in an interview. I’ll let him have the last word today:

“A cynic is a passionate person who doesn’t wish to be disappointed again.”