Is it worse to be cynical, altruistic or jaded?

[Bakiryu]

What say you?

[jon1jt]

i don't think it's a matter of denying our emotions so much as how we channel them. anger, cynicism, compassion, are virtuous when used for the right purpose.

[NikolaiI]

jaded

[Shalot]

yes - it's worse to be jaded than any of the other options.

I was about to write a few paragraphs about why I think so, but i am tired and it wouldn't make sense.

Weird thread, Baki (because I am a grumpy blue muppet with a pointed nose you see)

[mtpspur]

Personally I think self righteousness and pride is the consuming evil. But let's examine the three items declared and I will give my opinion as I relate to it. It must be admitted that much of my opinions on the three is based on how I live my Christian faith (which is not often lived well truth be told.

1. Cynical -- expects nothing good will come of anybody or anything (used primarily in my dating life and expanded into my married life where trials and tribulations abound and overwhelm BUT mysteriously the hand of God in providence and blessing gets short shrift. The cure is to relaize that there is hope and God is still good.

2. Altruistic -- the rose colored glasses are put on and usually shined on the wrong people and disapppointment results and cynicism takes up the vacuum from the crushed expectations of good conquering evil. It will but the final results are still afar off awiting the final judgement.

3. Jaded -- probably the worse of all---all forward motion and advancing in life's journey comes to a screeching halt and the soul withers and dies from atrophy. Also implies we know more then God what's ahead and our agenda is more special.

Hope this helps. Short version obviously. For the r4ecord I have thge most fun with cynicism but that's self defeating and results in an ever dwindling social life and friendship pool. Beware. Rich

[dramasnot6]

I'll agree with most and say jaded.

[Scheherazade]

It is worse to be cynical; it means you are too much aware what is going on around you and, most of the time, you have to pretend that you are not, not to upset others. Ignorance is bliss.

What are your thoughts on the subject, Bakiryu?

[Bakiryu]

Well, I must admit I'm a cynic. I act older than I am as well (like I've already lived life and it sucks).

But it's worse to be an altruist, thinking the best of people is a disappointing experience, because people seldom do their best.

[quasimodo1]

To Bakiryu: I take the question in your thread title to be rhetorical. Although altruism make take a negative turn once in a while, the intent and outcome or altruistic organizations and individuals remains overwhelmingly positive. quasimodo1

[AimusSage]

It is worse to be cynical; it means you are too much aware what is going on around you and, most of the time, you have to pretend that you are not, not to upset others. Ignorance is bliss.

What are your thoughts on the subject, Bakiryu?
The trouble about cynisim and being a cynic is that it is impossible to reply to this and not sound like a cynic. But I manage just fine. :goof:

It does stink to be a cynic, but the real cynic doesn't care.
Altruism isn't good either, because the altruist cares too much
Being Jaded is simple boredom, boredom being one of the cornerstones of modern society.

[Nightshade]

Being Jaded is simple boredom, boredom being one of the cornerstones of modern society.
Only modern?

[AimusSage]

Only modern?
I didn't say that, but boredom through the ages, and the effect it has had on shaping societies is another topic alltogether.

[Nightshade]

would make an intresting thing to read about though...Im pretty sure there is a da vinci quote to that effect but too lazy to go looking for it now.

[Demian]

I'd love to quote some things from Steppenwolf here for those who don't know it, but I don't know if it's kosher to do so. When Hesse wrote this book he was deeply disillusioned. This was his answer to life's fundamental problem: To be or not to be. I would say that altruism belongs with another list, but that to be jaded implies a person who has experienced much while to be cynical implies a person who has thought too much. I believe that in this respect to be cynical is much worse. Life circumstances always change, but it's very hard to change your frame of reference once it's been set (but not impossible).

[Virgil]

Is it worse to be cynical, altruistic or jaded?

What say you?


First I don't understand the sequence:


al·tru·ism (²l“tr›-¹z”…m) n. Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness. --al“tru·ist n. --al”tru·is“tic adj. --al”tru·is“ti·cal·ly adv.

Altruism is not an attitude like cynicism or being jaded, but an action. So I don't know if you mean to say naive or idealistic.

As to the distinction between cynical and jaded, they are pretty close synonyms. The only distinction I see is that a jaded person is someone who grew cynical over time, and that a cynic was either born that way or that way from early in life.

I have an incredible distaste for pure cynics. Yes, there are naive idealists who wear rosey colored glasses and naively see wonder in everything and everyone. But there is also the opposite, the misanthrope who wears dark colored glasses and thinks there are hidden motives and conspiracies and plots around every corner. Those people are repulsive. I see them at work, and they never get promoted, they create an atmosphere of failure, that no matter what you do it's not worth it. They drag people down. They don't advance. They fail before they have even attempted. They don't make work fun. and work is at least one third of your life, so you better make it fun, or your life isn't fun. Cynicism permeates the soul and frankly ruins you.

[chasestalling]

i loathe altruists.

there's only one way to change the world for the better; and that's to change oneself.

with cynics and the jaded there're rooms for improvements; not so with altruists.

[jon1jt]

First I don't understand the sequence:



Altruism is not an attitude like cynicism or being jaded, but an action. So I don't know if you mean to say naive or idealistic.

As to the distinction between cynical and jaded, they are pretty close synonyms. The only distinction I see is that a jaded person is someone who grew cynical over time, and that a cynic was either born that way or that way from early in life.

I have an incredible distaste for pure cynics. Yes, there are naive idealists who wear rosey colored glasses and naively see wonder in everything and everyone. But there is also the opposite, the misanthrope who wears dark colored glasses and thinks there are hidden motives and conspiracies and plots around every corner. Those people are repulsive. I see them at work, and they never get promoted, they create an atmosphere of failure, that no matter what you do it's not worth it. They drag people down. They don't advance. They fail before they have even attempted. They don't make work fun. and work is at least one third of your life, so you better make it fun, or your life isn't fun. Cynicism permeates the soul and frankly ruins you.



i'm with virgil about there being hardly difference between cynical and jaded. cynics are the worst kind, yep. well said. :thumbs_up

[NikolaiI]

altruistic basically means selfless acts, right? i don't think that's a terrible thing, i mean you don't expect kids to be saints, they say you have to go through other stages, of adolescence and adulthood, but eventually we could be more altruistic. i mean after good ol' # 1 is taken care of.


i'm with virgil about there being hardly difference between cynical and jaded. cynics are the worst kind, yep. well said. :thumbs_up

yes, i totally understand, virgil, but not all cynics are the same. i have a friend who is cynical, but he's very funny and kind and i love to be around him because he is actually very positive. but he is cynical- he's a Ph.D. in political science who worked for years in the financial department...anyway he became unemployed and the (unemployment) system is so messed up here for that. that's just one thing he's cynical about- anyway he's a writer and writes this stuff in a self-published magazine...which is also about chess, but anyway, he's a cynic but also positive guy, because he has a good attitude about it.

[Virgil]

Then Nicolai he's not a "pure" cynic. He's just having some hard times and it's understandable to be a little ticked.

[Lote-Tree]

Is it not Indifference more worse?

And how can altruism be worse?
It is noble!

[Bakiryu]

And how can altruism be worse?
It is noble!

Yup, but altruists believe too much of people.

[papayahed]

I have to disagree here. Jaded and cynical are not the same thing.

A cynic is someone that is pessimistic, finding fault or reason to distrust everything.

Jaded is someone that has been worn down by life, they're used to everyday things and don't find excitment in living.

Altruism has nothing to do with either and as far as I can tell is a good thing.

I'd have to say being cynical is the worst.

[Demian]

"When life itself seems lunatic,
Who knows where madness lies?
Perhaps to be practical is madness.
To surrender dreams-this may be madness.
To seek treasure where there is only trash.
Too much sanity may be madness.
And maddest of all, to see life as it is,
And not as it should be."

-Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha

[formality hater]

Cynical,I guess!

[papayahed]

Yup, but altruists believe too much of people.

that's not always the case. Besides isn't that better then always thinking the worst of people?

[Lote-Tree]

Yup, but altruists believe too much of people.

To Challenge yourself to be better and others to better is a noble goal.

[TheFifthElement]

All of the above, each involves some form of superiority complex.

Best to be innocent in my opinion. Innocence is definitely underrated.

[DeathAngel]

i have no problem wit cynicalism,
tho i am assured it is not in any way pleasant,

the worst would be jaded,
too much arrogance, no can do

[Anza]

And how can altruism be worse?
It is noble!

Sure, altruism is noble, but it is self-defeating. You have to look out for yourself sometimes. If you don't hold a michrophone to your lips, you won't be heard by many people. You have to start out cynical, you have to be doubtful of the good of the world to want to fix it. Through a want to fix the world, you can hold the michrophone up to your voice.
Someone also argued that "ignorance is bliss," but it is a hollow bliss, I would rather be informed and angry than ignorant and blissful. When I say a hollow bliss, I mean that you know that there is more to life than bliss. It's like the restlessness of a captive born leopard. They are ignorant, and maybe happy with their current existence, but they feel it inside that they are meant to run free. The human nature wants to find fault, it wants to have a cause. An altruistic person is squelching that want, and thus their human nature. It's unhealthy.

[Bakiryu]

Best to be innocent in my opinion. Innocence is definitely underrated.

Yup. there's nothing like people taking advantage of you. while you are to naive to see. not even children are innocent.

[TheFifthElement]

Yup. there's nothing like people taking advantage of you. while you are to naive to see. not even children are innocent.

I think you confuse innocence with naivity or ignorance. Innocence doesn't necessarily mean that people take advantage of you, but rather (or the way I see it) that you are untainted by experience. So, if you're seeing a guy and he treats you badly that doesn't mean that the next guy will, but often we treat the next person as though they will behave like the last person, and thus we live our lives tainted by bad experiences, instead of treating each experience as something new. That's where I see innocence in children, its the ability to treat everything as though it's a new experience (because often for children it is). If you can do this you can retain a sense of wonder about the world, rather than becoming 'jaded', 'cynical' or 'altrustic'. Innocence doesn't mean being blind to the good or the ills of the world, as all of the things mentioned in the OP require, but rather not letting the experience of these things colour your judgement of what follows.