the opposite of cynicism isn't hope and trust, and cynicism is a powerful tool in the arsenal of monsters.
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Replying to @atroyn @chaosprime
cynicism is the belief that the world and your place in it are fixed. That's fake bullshit. The opposite is clear eyed understanding.
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Replying to @atroyn
except that's... not even approximately what cynicism is. possibly you're thinking of pessimism? the main actual idea is skepticism about people's supposed motivations for their actions which, like... is just a modicum of goddamn sense honestly
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Replying to @chaosprime @atroyn
i mean, i can see how people can confuse the cynic who says "that leader figure is a posturing liar" and the pessimist who says "nothing will ever get better" because they're both being ~negative~ in the febrile pop-psych usage but it's an extremely hazardous confusion
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Replying to @chaosprime
This is complex, but not about 'negativity'. Cynicism is a philosophy that necessarily reinforces the prior that _leaders must be posturing liars_, which is often 1.) not practical knowledge and 2.) paralyzing.
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Replying to @atroyn @chaosprime
The belief that the world and your place in it are fixed are a second order effect of this philosophy, not a foundation, sure. But that's where you inevitably end up.
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Replying to @atroyn
it may be inevitable if you fall into some of the traps of self-indulgence in the neighborhood, i spose; i don't think it's at all an inevitable result of the actual philosophy
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Replying to @chaosprime
my views here are not sufficiently fleshed out yet to argue this intelligently I think.
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Replying to @atroyn @chaosprime
But it's something like, the practical application of philosophical ideas needs to take human fallibility into account when thinking about the desired outcome of applying the philosophy.
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maybe what we need is... BETTER CYNICISM
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