Cynicism is tempting, but not good
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 2:51 PM EST

Can 12-year olds be cynical? One of my uncles certainly thought so when I was 12. At a family gathering, just after I had said something particularly sarcastic, my uncle did not hesitate to say: "You're awfully cynical to be so young."

I can't remember exactly what I said that prompted his response, but as many people in my life have noted through the years, I speak with sarcastic tones often. And my sarcasm is a revelation of my cynicism.

What I do remember about that day was the word "cynical," and how my uncle used it. I vaguely knew what the word meant, but I hardly knew what he meant by using it to describe my attitude.

Now, however, I do understand and also see that it is a strong temptation to become cynical. People like me - that is, people who obsessively devour the news and spend every effort to understand the world - are constantly in danger of becoming cynical, especially about politics. And a cynical attitude, I think, is not a good thing.

Negative news coverage dominates big media. A recent example is the story of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Despite that his story of corruption is fascinating, the negative import of his and other similar stories tempt me to toss all politicians in one pot - a great big pot of corruption.

Realistically, I have no doubt the pot of corrupt politicians is large. But there is plenty of spare room in this metaphorical pot because there are plenty of political leaders who do not violate their oath to serve the people of the United States.

To find a good example of an honorable leader, go through the list of the presidents of the United States. Or all of the generals, admirals and soldiers in our military history. Or all of the governors, past and present, of all of the states. Or even our local community leaders, elected and volunteer. If we put them all in one pot, those we could objectively consider to be thoroughly corrupt are in an extreme minority.

That is not to say that these men and women are not without their faults, as we who judge them based on news coverage are not without our own. We are only human after all.

The temptation to be cynical is largely the result of high expectations and too much reliance on bias. I have to remind myself of two things on a regular basis: 1) No one is perfect, and 2) Just because someone does or says something I do not agree with doesn't mean he is corrupt.

When I was 12, I did not understand cynicism in this way - it would be remarkable if any 12-year old does. I doubt my uncle meant for me to take it seriously. (I didn't really at the time. I just didn't forget about it.) Nonetheless, there was a lesson to be learned. For me, the lesson was about the temptation of cynicism. Now only if I can apply it more often.

- Aaron Morgan, Reporter

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