Cynicism Is the Opposite of Optimism and Pessimism

Cynics believe that nothing ever changes at a fundamental level. By it’s nature, cynicism is a dead end where everything stays the same over time.

Both optimism and pessimism are the opposite of cynicism. Optimists see things getting better over time. Pessimists see the world getting worse over time. They both believe the world changes while cynicism does not.

In that way, cynicism is a helpless ideology because it ignores the world changes.

Read Opt Out of Cynicism by Dimitar Simeonov.

See also:

• On being an optimist with anxiety (things are getting better overall, but nervous about what can go wrong)
• On balance, default optimism is rational because it’s helpful even when faked
• Cynicism implies everything is a complete system, but Godel incompleteness proves it never is

Links to this note

• Learned Helplessness

  When employees lose their sense of agency they start to look outwardly as the source of their problems and solutions.

• The Man in the Arena

  A speech by Theodore Roosevelt in Paris 1910 that railed against cynics who looked down on those attempting to do great things.

• Incompetent Management Kind of Works

  The essay Advantages of incompetent management by Yossi Kreinin, discusses how competent management isn’t always best and we overlook the desirable effects of incompetent management.

• Utopians Are Defined by Their Pessimism

  Visionaries pushing some form of utopia are defined by their pessimism. Their belief that utopia can be achieved means they don’t believe things could ever get better, nor their idea of what is best. Unless new knowledge stops being created and all relevant knowledge is known, utopians exhibit the same parochial error as someone who believes the sun revolves around the Earth.

• Science Is a War Against Skepticism and Dogmatism

  Both skepticism and dogmatism are counter to science. With too much skepticism, nothing can be believed—not even our own senses. With too much dogmatism, the wisdom of crowds is unquestioned and quickly turns into the madness of crowds.

• Building Compliance Products Is Like Reading Kafka but You Get to Fix It

  Many people don’t find compliance to be a particularly interesting area to work on. For some, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience to take a bureaucratic nightmare and make it simple for anyone. Working on compliance products is like reading Kafka but you get to fix it.

• Techno-Optimism Is Rational

  Techno-optimists believe technology can solve the world’s most pressing problems. With the right knowledge, we can find solutions to climate change like abundant clean energy. Can we acquire the knowledge to build nuclear fusion reactors? Can we do it in time?