Cynicism is running rampant right now. Whether it’s the constant refrain that “everything is cancer,” to movie reviews that prattle on about “plot holes,” to the desire for everyone on the internet to be the first to trash something, being cynical has become trendy.
That’s right, if you’re cynical, you’re just like everyone else. You’re not standing out in any way. You’re not cool. You’re not novel or inventive. You’re a jerkface. And… you’re boring.
This is nothing new, I realize that, but the internet has made cynicism into a social movement.
Before the internet, we were served with professional critics. These were highly-educated and erudite people who could sway the opening weekend of a new movie, or the sales on a new book, simply by the power of their voice. They were often wrong, but they had a large tribe to speak to, and so they had power.
With the propagation of the internet, and the removal of the gatekeepers, suddenly it was possible for everyone to be a critic. We’ve seen the democratization of the professional critic.
If you have a Facebook account, or a blog, or a podcast, then you have a voice that is broadcast to your small circle of friends, or if you’re lucky, you can reach beyond that. The power has been spread out much wider, which is wonderful, but the critics are rarely as educated, and mostly don’t have to answer for their opinions.
And what have we done with this new power? Unfortunately, the younger crowd, in particular, is so indoctrinated with cynicism that they are largely incapable of voicing an opinion that isn’t negative. They can’t see the positive in anything, or worse, they are afraid to broadcast to the world that they enjoy something for fear of being torn down by their peers.
Being dazzled by the ability to destroy everything has become an international pastime. The problem is that if you see everything through grim-colored glasses then your assessment is automatically flawed.
If everything sucks, then nothing sucks. Get it? It’s really very simple.
So, here’s my proposal to you. Instead of being like everyone else, why not try to find joy in something?
Admit that you love a video game that everyone else says is terrible (for example, Mass Effect: Andromeda was a great experience).
Tell people you enjoy a movie that is reviled by the critics, like the fact that Batman v. Superman: The Ultimate Edition is one of the best superhero movies of all time!
Or, why not reach out to someone you know, and tell them that you appreciate their hard work, especially if they are creative. I can promise you they don’t hear that often enough.
With great power comes great responsibility. If you only see the worst of everything, then you are squandering a great gift.
Realize that the world doesn’t need any more cynics.
If you want to stand out--if you want to be different, then have the courage to see beauty… and shout it out loud.
