Cynicism (the attitude or quality and not the ancient Greek philosophy) is something that most people experience at some point in their lives. Certainly, it would be fair to say that most people experience it at several points throughout their lives. We could define it simply as the belief that human nature is to act selfishly. This results normally from something resembling a broken heart. But how does a Stoic respond to cynical thoughts in themselves and others?

From naivety to cynicism

It’s often said that we come into this world innocent, and that’s probably a fair statement. We have not had enough time to act viciously in the world, but we also haven’t had the opportunity to have others act viciously toward us. From the time that we are old enough to view television and read, we are bombarded with fairy tales. A romantic view of the world is quite common for a child. Unfortunately, this does not align with reality.

Life is quite messy. It is filled with struggles, and people often act ugly towards each other (very unStoically, of course). Because you are reading this, and are hence human, the chances of you acting at some point, let’s say, not aligned with the Stoic ideal is high as well. We all fall short of the Sage.

It is this fact that causes cynical views in people. It is what makes us see the reality of life – that everything falls short of the ideal, including ourselves. We become filled with the belief that relationships and connections with others are simply not worth going after; they’ll only result in heart break, after all.

Let’s consider the typical example of being betrayed by a friend or partner. The romantic novel that was playing in your head telling you that this person was perfect is shattered. You’re faced with the reality that they are flawed. This easily tempts a cynical view of all future relationships.

Wisdom and courage

There is something interesting about a cynical view of life; in some ways, it could be considered more virtuous than naivety, yet in others, it could be considered less.

Living according to Mother Nature – objective reality herself – is a core idea of Stoicism. When we learn a truth about life, we are gaining knowledge, and perhaps wisdom. Part of wisdom includes an understanding of objective reality. We could add a point to the “cynicism is more virtuous than naivety” team, but it is not so simple.

A cynical view of life is also a manifestation of cowardice.

It is not virtuous to run away from society because you’ve been hurt in some way by another member of the cosmopolitan. Such is the reality of life, which is why the opening section of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations begins with a reminder that people are often (in my own paraphrased words) ugly toward each other.

One could read that first part of the passage and draw out a cynical view of humanity. Fortunately, Marcus Aurelius does not stop there. He follows that idea with another one – that the Good is also a part of human nature, and that we all have the same divine mind, even if all our intentions and actions are not aligned with the Stoic ideal at each moment.

Acting courageously toward a better future

A naïve view is not an act of courage or cowardice; it springs from a lack of wisdom. A cynical view of life is an act of cowardice; it is driven by a fear of pain. The Stoic view, however, is one that acknowledges that neither human beings nor the world we inhabit is perfect, but that working towards a harmonious relationship with the world and those around us is something worth striving for.

To do so requires both wisdom and courage. It requires acceptance of our imperfect world coupled with a desire to make it better, along with ourselves and those around us.

We all fall short of the Stoic ideal regularly. But if we courageously choose to acknowledge our shared divine, rational mind, and to engage further in community, perhaps we can all fall short just a little bit less.

Brandon is most well-known for his podcast, The Strong Stoic Podcast, where he discusses philosophical ideas both solo and with guests. He also coaches individuals to help them be their best selves, writes articles, plays music, manages projects, and several other things.

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