"On social media, fools feel clever by mocking bigger fools, and scoundrels feel virtuous by condemning bigger scoundrels. We feel good simply by portraying others as worse. In an age of anxiety & inaction, many seek self-esteem not in their own successes, but in other's failures" ~ Gurwinder Bhogal
This is one of my least favourite trends. I am honestly so bored of cynicism on the internet (I might just start a Toxic Positivity trend to try and offset it). I'm sick of seeing comment sections just filled with self defeating, world-hating nihilists who are adamant that the world is against them and it's people who have goals that are the issue. People whose faux-virtue stands on the shoulders of others' shortcomings. Gesturing at the public failure of everyone else in the hope that their own actions never get scrutinised.
Cynicism is a guarded response. You're setting yourself up against disappointment. Its role within the system is to protect you against experiencing anything bad. It is a pre-emptive strike against a perceived threat.
If I tell myself that 'all women are bad', then I'm less likely to seek a relationship with women and, as a consequence, I'm never going to feel the pain of rejection. If I tell myself that 'everything is shit' or that 'things will never get better', then I am excused of ever having to try at anything.
It's more comfortable to get fatalistic and call it pragmatism. The cope is framing hope as pathetic and embarrassing and optimism as delusion. It's "sour grapes" at an existential level.
If everything sucks, and everyone is horrible, and reality is disappointing and you know that for a fact, it's the people acting like things can be better that are dumb, delusional and the problem.
The upside of never trying is never having to feel the pain of failure.
Get fucked bro. I don't want your influence within 1000 miles of my life.
"It's good to criticise the vile aspects of the world, but there is nothing more vile than to do nothing about it and convince others to do the same." ~ Ryan Lazarus
Believing in hope is a better way to live. You should do the same.
"Choosing to see the good in things (while not being naïve) is a superpower" ~ Chasing Adaptation