2007-03-01 01:06:50 · 13 answers · asked by A True Gentleman 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
I think it's definitely the public. We've been lied to by politicians of both parties for so many years we have every reason to be cynical.
2007-03-01 01:15:29 · answer #1 · answered by David M 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
A cynic is someone who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest. Bearing that in mind I would say the public are cynical of politicians because politicians are entirely motivated by self-interest and self aggrandisement.
A sceptic on the other hand is someone who doubts the truth. So the fact is the public are both cynics and sceptics and have just cause so to be.
2007-03-01 08:08:53 · answer #2 · answered by Rainman 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The public is cynical, because of the politicians.
2007-03-01 01:14:39 · answer #3 · answered by davethenayber 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The British People are more usually described as a nation of sceptics, however, in recent years my feeling is that we're slowly turning into a nation of cynics.
Everything which the politicians announce is greeted with a certain degree of cynicism when in the past it was a natural reaction to any announcement for the British People to show a certain degree of scepticism.
There's the classical Greek story of the shepherd who spent the winter up in the mountains looking after the family flock of sheep. In the Spring, his brother arrives to take over the duty of guarding the sheep. The first brother returns to Athens and going into the Agora grabs hold of the first person he sees. "Tell me citizen", demands the shepherd, "what's the latest news? Tell me everything, tell me lies." "Well," responded the Citizen slowly, "there's going to be a war." "A war?" asked the shepherd, his voice rising in pitch. "Yes", responds Citizen, "and it's going to be with the Persians." "Yes," says the shepherd, "and I know who's going to pay for it. Me, the tax payer. So I'm against it."
And so the story goes. The shepherd is a sceptic but we're not like him. We have become cynics in that we see all sorts of reasons for why there is going to be a war with the Persians. It's oil, isn't it, we argue.
2007-03-01 06:45:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That's hard to say. After all, it's the public who elects the politicians, right?
2007-03-01 01:29:50 · answer #5 · answered by tangerine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The politicians, the public is too trusting.
2007-03-01 07:15:56 · answer #6 · answered by cynical 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The public by far. What do you expect when you cast your vote, and then find out later that the politician you supported is wandering off on their own agenda, without a care for the people that voted him/her in?
2007-03-01 01:21:49 · answer #7 · answered by Amer-I-Can 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The public.
2007-03-01 01:13:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
WE ARE!!! Because the Government have made us cynics. They've got no one else to blame but themselves for the reasons why people don't trust them. They should try a little honesty for once... oh no wait - they'd be in prison if they did.
2007-03-01 01:11:12 · answer #9 · answered by Mum-Ra 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Definately the public, but it is the constant wrong doing of the politicians that makes us so.
2007-03-01 01:10:56 · answer #10 · answered by Chrissy 2 · 6⤊ 1⤋