Cynicism

Cynicism as a disposition poses a problem in establishing or maintaining relationships because cynics are untrusting of positive human qualities and traits. They find faults in others fairly quickly and easily, and are always eager to expose the ‘hidden' truths behind another person's kindness. Basically, they do not generally believe that anyone does anything kind or good without having an ulterior motive.

While occasionally experiencing a cynical thought or making a cynical comment is only natural, being cynical 24-7 may damage your relationships with the people around you. If this is the case, you may need to honestly analyze your personality to determine if and how something needs to be done.

Many of the famous 18^th century writers called upon cynicism to fuel their artistic talents. Shakespeare is one of the popular playwrights who constantly used sarcasm, irony, and satire in his writings. All of these were reflections of the approach to making fun of human behavior, and resulted in the revival of cynicism.

Cynicism continued on throughout the years with Mark Twain, Dorothy Parker, and other well-known names using it as a method of expressing their disdain for certain human attitudes. Many of the modern movies and novels today contain some form of cynicism and are taught within the school system.

Whether cynicism is part of a novel, movie, play, or part of a person's character, it is fascinating to search into its historical roots and identify it as either an escape from responsibility, or a human psychological development.