Is cynical thinking just self-preservation?

Recently I have noticed that in life we can be extremely cynical of certain situations and the people that surround us. Cynicism is defined as 'contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives'. Sometimes previous experience teaches us that things aren't always what they seem, so we act with caution to avoid disappointment. This means we subconsciously feel negative towards an idea or situation and then feel guilty for immediately predicting the worst outcome. Should we torture ourselves for protecting our feelings?

George Carlin believes that 'Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist.' This change occurs with age. As children we are gullible and naive, we dream and idealise about what may, might or could happen with no thought of how we might feel if it doesn't. However, as we get older we start to lose faith in the improbable and become more self-aware. Cynicism can be linked to realism, in that we blame our negative thinking on a need to be realistic. We are aware of the tough world we live in and expect little so we can be pleasantly surprised when we recieve a lot. Daniel Waters expands on this, 'In a cruel and evil world, being cynical can allow you to get some entertainment out of it.' He shows how we often feel better with our cynical viewpoint, as it saves us from the shame and embarrassment of believing everything and then looking like a fool.

Unfortunately some people become cynical about everything in the world, which leads to bitterness and resentment. 'A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.' (Henry Louis Mencken) These people become blind to any form of positivity and put a negative spin on everything in an attempt to safeguard their emotions. Our bitterness towards certain situations can stem from other's views, previous experiences or what society tells us to believe. The biblical story of the 'Good Samaritan' is a case example. It shows of how we do not expect kindness from a stranger, because we are led to believe that humans are all self-centered and out for their own gain. However, sometimes there is one person who is an exception to the rule and thinks of others.

A couple of weeks ago I had my belongings stolen on a night bus in London. I remember reacting with surprising apathy, just accepting my fate and casually criticising mankind. A few days later I received a letter with my cards and I.D enclosed. A stranger had found my items in their back garden and taken the time to return them to me. I was completely surprised that someone would go to that trouble. Why do I expect to be robbed but not to be compensated? Am I cynical or is the world cynical?

Questions also arise when a cynic requires proof in order to believe something to be true. With freedom of speech we can say within reason, what we like, however there is no proof to establish if what we say is true. We can meet people who relay fantastical stories and events which we want to believe are real, but something inside tells us they are not factual. We become guilty and feel bad for doubting a friend, but cannot disguise the glimmer of hope than exists within us, that wants to believe them. Oscar Wilde describes a cynic as 'A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.' To avoid this label we might be better off investing in the glimmer of hope we spend so much time trying to hide.

I hope that mankind does not wish to be cynical and look at the world negatively. Equally we do not want to wear rose coloured glasses, as life may disappoint us more than we expect it to. Henry Louis Mencken's view may be self-preserving, 'The cynics are right nine times out of ten' However, if one time out of ten we take a risk and give someone the benefit of the doubt, we might stop being cynical or even hopeful and start to be happy.