Cynicism
"I fight cynicism. It's too easy. It's really boring. It's much harder to be positive and see the wonder of everything. Cynicism is a bunch of people who aren't as talented as other people, knocking them because they make them feel even more untalented."
- Ewan McGregor
I'm always impressed by the way other people put words to what I think far better than I ever could.
I haven't been living up to this philosophy very well lately. Oh, I don't think I've completely betrayed it; there were some days where I really felt that urge to lash out that I don't think I've ever fully understood before, but I fought it, and that's worth something, isn't it? Just because you aren't successful 100% of the time doesn't mean you failed overall. Now, I'm not saying just making the effort is what counts, but I think if we looked at my win/lose ratio, I bet I'm doing better than 3 out of 10, and shoot, that makes you millions of dollars in the MLB.
It's not even that I want to be an optimist. Rather, my ideal goal would be to be absolutely unassuming, to face each situation as fairly and objectively as I can. Not ignoring whatever came in the past, but able to tell the difference between what's relevant and what's not. Not ignoring the trends as I see them, but without treating them as definitive indicators of what's to come. And finally, not believing that I'm some incredible sage with the wisdom of the ages, able to divine meaning as if I could see every facet of the situation.
But it's hard not to fall into that last trap. I sound so friggen smart I even fool myself into thinking I know what I'm talking about. :)
- Ewan McGregor
I'm always impressed by the way other people put words to what I think far better than I ever could.
I haven't been living up to this philosophy very well lately. Oh, I don't think I've completely betrayed it; there were some days where I really felt that urge to lash out that I don't think I've ever fully understood before, but I fought it, and that's worth something, isn't it? Just because you aren't successful 100% of the time doesn't mean you failed overall. Now, I'm not saying just making the effort is what counts, but I think if we looked at my win/lose ratio, I bet I'm doing better than 3 out of 10, and shoot, that makes you millions of dollars in the MLB.
It's not even that I want to be an optimist. Rather, my ideal goal would be to be absolutely unassuming, to face each situation as fairly and objectively as I can. Not ignoring whatever came in the past, but able to tell the difference between what's relevant and what's not. Not ignoring the trends as I see them, but without treating them as definitive indicators of what's to come. And finally, not believing that I'm some incredible sage with the wisdom of the ages, able to divine meaning as if I could see every facet of the situation.
But it's hard not to fall into that last trap. I sound so friggen smart I even fool myself into thinking I know what I'm talking about. :)