It feels like the majority of cynical and sarcastic / ironic statements are cloaked attempts at signalling how authentic a person is. Conveying idealism and trust is expensive, cynicism is cheap.
Idealism on its own can be "cheap," in that children can believe in things like the triumph of good over evil without a second thought. What makes it expensive is the vulnerability required to convince people that you actually have an affirmative and positive view of the world.
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It's hard to trust social signals that are cheap (cue the common insult of "virtue signaling" that is bandied about to describe not truly caring about a cause or ideal). Cynicism seems to bypass this concern—you don't hear people accuse others of "vice signaling" nearly as often.
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I suppose the cheapest way to be idealistic is more of a stance or constant preparation to back up your views with evidence: have you taken the risk of trusting others, accepted the consequences (both negative and positive), and persisted without becoming Pollyanna-ish?
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