What is with all the cynicism?

Question

How did we come to believe the worst about everything; Our Country, Government, Police, Health System, Prisons, Immigration, the Justice System, and about People etc?

Where does all this cynicism come from?

Nexus6,
Reasoned observations should make you humble, don’t you think?

Answer 1

It stems from the fact that alot of those things REALLY ARE messed up.

Add in skewed media reports that aren't necessaryily the whole story, word of mouth exaggeration, and the fact that almost everyone hates the war in Iraq (therefore by default they also hate the entire Bush administration, and all things that the government does) and the reason for cynicism is quite clear.

Answer 2

Middenraker....................... You never miss a trick to stick the boot in. Do you!!

As to your question toitmoi.
God only knows why. People just seem to think that freedom of speech seems to mean, that they can say what they like whether it is the truth or not.
The media has a lot to do with it. They have too much freedom in this country to say what they like without re-course. Most people could not afford to sue or wish the log drawn out process of suing them. So they aloud to continue to say whatever they wish. Until something is done to stop that then people will believe whatever they print. It's a case of " if it's in the papers, it must be true". A vast majority know it isn't but there a still a minority that do. Some just choose not to care.

Answer 3

I fight this every day. I stay away from negative, cynical people as much as possible. Being cynical is like a cancer. If you feed it. it runs rampant. I think there is good and bad in just about everything and I remind the cynics that the only reason we see it on the news is because of just that-it's news. If all of this bad stuff happened all of the time, it wouldnt be news. I'll get off my soapbox now. Thanks for the question.

Answer 4

I don't know why. If as some people suggest it is - at least in part down to the media - then people should read, watch, hear better media.

As tagette has pointed out above, to the contemporary observer, things have always been bad. Rather than pretending that things were much better, xx years ago, why don't all those who want to change things do as goodyguyhals suggest and get involved, organised and pressurise for change? I have a whole lot more respect for those characters than the misinformed whingers.

Answer 5

People are just like that.
I have read a Roman senators complaints about how disrespectful young people were and how each generation is a little worse than the one before, and moaning about the boy racers who nearly knocked him down racing chariots in the street. Substitute car for chariot and it could have been said yesterday.
Then there was the medieval boy bishop complaining that a six year old these days is as innocent as a twelve year old was when their fathers and mothers were at that age. Sound familiar?
Richard Burton's 'Anatomy of Melancholy' is one long Elizabethan whinge about doctors, the government etc.

Answer 6

hello toilet xx how are you ? the reason we believe the worst is that bad news travels faster than good. bad news sells newspapers, we as humans love to see others fall from grace and hate to think of anyone else doing better than ourselves so when we see and hear of the bad news it's like payday as a teenager. 30 years ago not everyone had a telly or bought a daily newspaper, the media now is accessable to everyone and it's always full of the negative stuff. i used to be very negative about our NHS until i studied it at college, it has opened my eyes and it truly is wonderful after all 60years ago we had nothing not even trained doctors just quacks no professional advice, no proven treatments and no prevention or vaccinations. ppl just don't see how far we have come in such a short space of time. those of us who do not travel to see how the other half live do not realise just how fortunate 99 per cent of the british population really are, things could be a lot worse, we shouldn't believe everything we read in the papers but that does not mean the UK does not have a long way to go.

Answer 7

I believe we have a choice, we can be a 'Why me' person and b1tch about the state of our country and our individual lot etc, or... We can be a 'Why not me' person, and look at the countries that have no running water and land that is not arable, where mortality rate is incredibly high and be grateful. It's a choice about whether to be a negative, whinging, pathetic looser or be bold, strong and positive. I can see beauty in just about anything, except cruelty, and injustice. The ugliest things I have encountered in a very long time were the miserable, self pitying nasties that huddle together under the cloak of animosity and judgement of a young couple who have a little girl whose whereabouts is unknown.
As for things having been better in times gone by, that's a fallacy, history does not verify this.

Answer 8

Methinks it stems from insecurity & a need to view life as a glass half empty instead of a glass half full...in a sad attempt to excuse & explain the sorry state of the world today.

Nothing to do with reason, am afraid. Most cynics, i find, are completely unreasonable!

Answer 9

You, Toietmoi, are a true gent and a very nice person. You try to see the good in everyone and every situation. It's very refreshing to see these days.

Maybe people are so cynical because they have been, or feel they have been, let down by one or more of these establishments.

Answer 10

I think the newspapers make you believe that every thing's corrupt as they only report extreme cases (understandably as normal isn't news worthy)
I think most people have good intentions, it's the exceptions that are reported. Also no body's perfect we all make mistakes.
Not sure about government though, Iraq was a pretty big mistake!

Answer 11

all the negative news coverage i think. every time you put on the news or pick up the paper theres a story of kids killing each other, health systems failing and record number of immigrants. Its hard not to let all this negative press result in a cynical view of everything.

I think we need to be shown more examples of the successes, my mum recently recovered from breast cancer and the NHS all round was fantastic, however such stories don't make the news, the one woman who was let down however makes the front page of every paper in the country.