What is cynicism, in simple words about cynics, psychology

What constitutes cynicism is, in simple words, a quality of a person, one might even say a character trait. Cynicism is often perceived as a negative manifestation. But cynics may be disliked and considered bad people. But in fact, cynicism may simply be a defensive reaction of a kind and good person who has suffered serious psychological trauma.

Usually, cynics are not born, but become after they receive a lot of pain from other people and life circumstances. But let’s consider in more detail and from a psychological point of view what cynicism is and who cynics are, and how to learn to quickly recognize them.

In simple words about what cynicism is

Cynicism is, in simple words, a character trait in which a person denies the manifestations of higher feelings and motives in the form of love, sympathy, selflessness, and sacrifice.

A cynical person is convinced that love is just an illusion, just a chemical reaction and an imposed attitude. Cynical people think that sincere and selfless love is just a fiction.

Cynics show a negative attitude towards various universal human values - love, pity, compassion, mercy, sympathy. Cynics neglect these values and mock them. According to the cynic, the reason for these values lies in commercialism and the desire to assert oneself.

Such thinking gives rise to reflection and critical conclusions. A cynic person has difficulty adapting to changes, has a negative attitude towards them, does not rely on feelings and emotions, and is guided only by common sense.

Cynicism from Lat. “cynismus” means a person’s frank, defiant, dismissive and contemptuous attitude towards the moral norms, values and ideas of other people.

Someone will be horrified and ask: “Does the word “cynicism” suggest “pessimism” as a pair? No not always. A pessimist is someone whose hopes for the world were not fulfilled, but they were there. The cynic came closest to the man of the absurd, Camus. He never had these hopes. Because, as the French thinker wrote: “Reason is sterile, but there is nothing higher than reason.”

But there are not only negative sides to cynicism. And not all cynics are bad people.

Is it good or bad to be a cynic?

If the cynic were an absolutely negative character, then most likely he would disappear in the process of social evolution. If this does not happen, then he must have strengths. Let's discuss them now.

The advantages of cynics.

When thinking about what a cynic is, the meaning of this word is very often distorted. Boors, criminals, vandals, misfits, misanthropes and other asocial elements fall under the same umbrella. But this is not always true. Of course, people involved in crime are distinguished by their cynicism, but not every cynic is capable of committing a crime. Very often, this type of thinking occurs in response to disappointment, as a psychological defense.

This is his first advantage - immunity to false promises and ostentatious virtue. When a person stops being overly gullible, it is more difficult to deceive him. The second plus is sincerity. A cynic can call a spade a spade and not waste time finding the right words. The third advantage is fashion. The fact is that the image of a cynic is quite popular in society. Remember Dr. Bykov or House. Accordingly, those people who correspond to it often arouse interest and sympathy.

Disadvantages of Cynics.

The main drawback of cynics is that sooner or later sympathy gives way to antipathy, since not everyone will want to endure their ridicule and neglect for a long time. Loneliness is the logical outcome for people with such a worldview. Moreover, cynics can turn others against them, acquiring enemies and ill-wishers.

In addition to purely social damage, people with this type of thinking also suffer psychologically, since they experience less emotions. They deprive themselves of romantic experiences, love and friendship. Always doubting and suspecting his interlocutors, a cynic complicates communication. We'll talk about how difficult it is to communicate with him in the next section.

Pros and cons of cynicism

Cynicism has not only disadvantages, but also advantages:

Cynicism allows you not to fuss, but to call things by their proper names . In some situations this is necessary. A cynic does not beat around the bush, does not allow selfish and dishonest people to take advantage of him, and without a shadow of a doubt gets rid of their company.
Cynicism helps to look at the situation sensibly . Having thrown away the rose-colored glasses, a person immediately understands what the truth is. He does not justify offenders and ill-wishers, soberly assessing other people's intentions and actions.
Cynicism can protect . Cynics are confident in themselves and rarely fall into the position of the weak. Healthy cynicism does not allow you to “swallow” the rudeness, tactlessness and intrusiveness of others. Cynics easily fend off blows, protecting themselves from the influence of unworthy individuals.
Cynicism can help you make the right decision . Having discarded unnecessary illusions, weaknesses, hopes and emotions, a person soberly assesses the current situation and acts based on real facts, and not guesses, dreams and assumptions. Cynics often achieve the highest results in business and quickly climb the career ladder.
A person prone to healthy cynicism knows how to achieve his goals . On the path to great achievements, fears and thoughts about public opinion often interfere, but cynics are deprived of this.

Disadvantages of cynicism:

Cynics seem to others to be callous and evil people , which can interfere in some areas of life.
Cynics often have no friends due to their penchant for direct or covert insults.
Some cynics evoke pity , and this is clearly not the effect they would like to achieve.
Cynics are prone to isolation and a narrow range of emotions , which gradually limits their social circle.
Cynicism denies important human values that help in achieving happiness and satisfaction in life.

Psychologists believe that people who develop “healthy” cynicism have a stronger and more stable psyche, are less susceptible to stress and are not inclined to fall into the role of a victim. To some extent, a share of cynicism is useful for a stable and resilient psyche.

COMMON cynicism is sobriety of mind and reasoning. Cynics are better than others at recognizing who really treats you well and who is just snotting under the sun.

What is cynicism: is it good or bad to be a cynical person?

Of course, cynicism is neither good nor bad. Moreover, you can be a cynic to varying degrees. Surprisingly, you will find that almost everyone has a certain amount of cynicism. Now this is how our society is structured, the very rules and relationships between people, when really love itself becomes suspect. Or do you completely trust the political program, which, of course, is carried out with all the described details?
If we all always trusted human kindness and sincerity, there would be no doubt about suspicious third-party interventions, attacks on civil liberty, or sensitive legal practices.
And today a cynic cannot be called someone special. Let us repeat that almost all of us have a share of cynicism. But this cynic’s rebellion against the system is just a desire to prove his significance and importance. Perhaps this is even a problem of childhood, when the child did not receive enough love from his parents. By the way, we suggest you read the article “Unloved children: problems in adult life and what to do about it? »

Important: It is worth noting that the cynic is not too different from all other individuals from the “herd”, but in order to rebel and not accept the established rules, they must still exist! After all, if there are no rules, there will be no rejection.
The main difference between a true cynic is his contempt for love, kindness and compassion. But behind this mask of callousness and sometimes even rudeness (do not confuse cynicism with rudeness!) hides insecurity and disappointment!

Words

How cynics behave - examples from life

Examples of value are quite varied. They can extend from family relationships to relationships with animals. Cynicism can be distinguished by its main characteristics: a person’s detachment, indifference, lack of empathy and compassion, as well as irritability towards people’s problems.

The following life situations can be cited as examples of cynicism:

A person knows how to resist manipulation. For example, there is a mother who is used to controlling her son’s life. Doesn't accept any girl, throws tantrums if her son doesn't listen to her. At one point, the guy’s healthy cynicism manifests itself - he brings his future wife to meet his mother, who, out of habit, starts a scandal, but the son simply offers to drink a sedative and does not fall for his mother’s manipulations.
Often cynics simply defend themselves with their behavior. This attitude often manifests itself in people who have been subjected to psychological violence in any of its forms for a long time. For example, a child has been subjected to humiliation and manipulation by relatives and immediate circle throughout his life. As a result, a person stops appreciating other people’s feelings and emotions and becomes a cynic, since his feelings and emotions during adolescence were not important to others.
Cynicism is a professional deformation. In many ways, the manifestation of cynicism is associated with a person’s professional activity. An example of such professions would be a surgeon or an investigator. Investigators and law enforcement officials often have distorted ideas about morality and emotional boundaries. This manifests itself in cynical jokes and attitudes towards issues of life and death.

Not all cynics are the same, so do not rush to label a person “bad, evil” if you notice such traits in him. Under the mask of cynicism, the traits of a good-natured and vulnerable person may be hidden. It’s just that, knowing his weaknesses and how people can ruthlessly attack them, he is forced to put on the armor of cynicism. In simple words - always give a person a chance to show their best qualities.

Types of cynics.

The cynic is a rather heterogeneous character, distinguished by many varieties and related forms. First of all, we can talk about professional and everyday cynicism.

The first is characteristic of representatives of various professions that are associated with great emotional stress. For example, workers in medicine, law enforcement agencies, the media, the legal profession, sales, etc. The image of Doctor House, who, being a first-class doctor, demonstrates an obnoxious character and disrespect for his colleagues, has become popular in world culture. For people like him, cynicism is a professional necessity, without which it is impossible to fulfill one’s duties for a long time.

Everyday cynics are people who carry mistrust and immorality into their personal lives. They mock the feelings and rules of their family, neighbors, friends, casual interlocutors, or members of the opposite sex. The latter, as a rule, get the most.

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The expanded classification of cynics is as follows:

Ironic - love dark humor and tough jokes;
Vulgar - tend to trivialize human feelings;
Healthy (normal) people simply do not let themselves be fooled;
Ardent - show their nature in any situation;
Greedy people try to find profit in everything;
Malicious – reveling in other people’s failures;
Rational - analyze the situation in detail without unnecessary emotions.

If irony is one of the properties of developed intelligence, and rationality simply reflects an analytical mindset, then such cynics do nothing wrong. Just like normal representatives of this personality type. They simply look deeper into life situations, discarding unnecessary romanticism and rose-colored glasses. Greed cannot be called a good quality of a person, but in modern pragmatic society, the desire for profit and enrichment has become a social norm, without greatly upsetting others.

The most unpleasant interlocutors are vulgar, ardent and malicious cynics, since they demonstrate obvious overkill. Vulgarity, as a rule, reflects a person’s mental inferiority, since jokes “below the belt” indicate the low intelligence of their author. Excessive cynicism repels interlocutors from a person, gradually making him lonely. Malice generally turns a person into an immoral individual prone to illegal actions. There is even a special note in criminal legislation about crimes committed with “exceptional cynicism.”

Anger is also inherent in people who are prone to vandalism . Every vandal has a disregard for values, but not every cynic will engage in vandalism. These concepts are interrelated, but not identical. After all, cynicism does not imply the perception of other people's values, but not their destruction. Then, as a vandal, he is engaged in physical abuse.

A little closer to the cynic is the nihilist. This person denies any rules, laws or beliefs. Unlike a cynic, he tends to doubt the process of cognition, and not the moral aspects. A nihilist will rarely ridicule the feelings of another, but with enviable enthusiasm he will argue with the statements of scientists, philosophers and educators.

Another type is considered to be teenage cynicism , which manifests itself as a kind of protest against the adult world. As a rule, this phenomenon occurs during puberty and personal maturation, when a teenager questions the ideals of the adult world. You shouldn’t think that a cynical teenager will necessarily be re-educated in his teenage years. Infancy may remain at 30 or 40 years old. Men are more often susceptible to this. There are more cynics among them than among women, although this personality type is found among both sexes.

Types of cynicism - how it happens

Cynics are not perceived in a negative way by society; this character trait is now even becoming fashionable. Young people consider this position to be strong and smart. Cynicism comes in different forms; it can be divided into the following types:

Healthy cynicism. This is not a character flaw. Such a person does not play the lottery, does not follow the lead of boors and arrogant people, and does not allow himself to be deceived or insulted.
Hate romance. Offended and irritated by displays of love, kisses, flowers, love letters and various manifestations of romance. I am convinced that love is very rare in the world and does not tolerate deception.
A follower of black humor. He shocks the people around him with sarcastic remarks and rude jokes.
Pest . He cannot control his disdainful attitude towards people, is indifferent to other people's misfortunes, and often gloats over other people's problems. He likes to mock people and “troll” them.
Materialist . There are no feelings, there is only clear calculation and benefit. Easily breaks up with a person if he sees the futility of the relationship.

Cynicism in modern society is a way of resisting external stimuli. Based on the understanding of cynicism in modern psychology, it is used to abstract from constant external factors that cause neurosis, psychosis, and hysteria.

If you notice yourself being excessively cynical. You understand that cynicism has long outgrown healthy boundaries. You realize that cynicism has roots in your psychological traumas. If you see that it is difficult for your loved ones to maintain contact with you, contact a psychotherapist or psychologist.

Reasons for the development of cynicism

Unrequited love or betrayal can cause the development of cynicism

When a child encounters some kind of injustice in childhood, he begins to hide his inner pain and hide under external indifference. If at the moment the parents do not help him cope with the sensations and do not explain how to survive it, then over time he will get used to such a reaction and turn into a cynic.
Cynicism is characteristic of a teenager when puberty begins. Due to changes in hormonal levels, he tries to isolate himself from the world and protect himself.
As we grow older, cynicism disappears, however, for some people it remains for life.
When a boy or girl is faced with unrequited love, they will begin to convince others that real feelings do not exist. A woman who has experienced the betrayal of her beloved, his betrayal, will begin to assure others that men cannot remain faithful to their partner all their lives. And all because this individual cannot cope with his loss.
Cynicism is present among people of certain professions. They need it for fruitful work. Cynicism helps in the careers of lawyers, doctors, and consultants. For example, consider doctors. If they had to feel all the suffering and pain of their patients, they would very quickly become emotionally exhausted and would not be able to work professionally.
People use cynicism to hide from feelings of guilt and remorse, or from other negative experiences.

It turns out that the reasons for cynicism may be the following factors:

improper parenting, a personal example of cynicism that is adopted by a child in adulthood;
constant violation of individual rights, leading to the realization that laws are only of a legal nature;
an unfair attitude towards rights and personal freedom provokes the cynicism necessary for protection;

Individuals who were previously altruists, trusting of other people, and romantics can turn into true cynics under the influence of severe life blows, in particular, betrayal and deep disappointment.

Cynicism from a psychological point of view

In psychology, this character trait has a different meaning. Experts say that this is a type of neurotic behavior. The person is not interested in generally accepted norms of behavior and values. Such a neurotic is accustomed to destroying the usual foundations and rules, mocking standards and values.

Neurotics are a fairly collective category in psychology. The main sign of neurotic people is a constant feeling of anxiety about everything.

How do mentally healthy people differ from neurotics? The fact that they also experience nervousness, but based on real emotions that have real reasons. Neurotics, on the other hand, continuously generate the causes of their irritation within themselves.

We do not support the position of attributing cynicism to a neurotic state. On the contrary, cynicism is a way of avoiding irritants, unnecessary neurosis and worries. Since a person refuses to experience emotions in relation to many aspects of life.

Types of Cynicism

According to psychologists, there are two types of cynicism:

Domestic. It manifests itself in everyday life through immoral actions, disregard for norms of behavior and other people's feelings, ridicule of people, ignoring other people's interests and desires.
Professional. It often occurs in those individuals whose psyche systematically suffers from serious trials.

There is also another classification of cynicism:

legal - a person does not want to live in accordance with legal norms and laws;
social – disregard for moral standards;
social – present in a separate community;
economic – expresses dissatisfaction with the economic system.

About types of cynicism

Svetlana Kovalenko

Psychologist, clinical psychologist

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In my opinion, it is necessary to distinguish between types of cynicism based on reasons and external expression. In the first case, cynicism is divided into professional, personal and caused by illness. Personality, in turn, can be divided into many types: acquired in childhood, acquired in adulthood, cynicism in relation to certain social models and roles. For example, indifference towards children.

In the second case, cynicism will be divided into permanent and situational. The latter means a person's reaction to certain cases. At the same time, the rest of the person has empathy, experience and awareness of moral norms.

A separate case is cynicism as a sign of some psychological illness. For example, a personality disorder.

Signs of cynicism in people

To know whether there are people with cynical reasoning in your environment, you need to not only know the meaning of this trait. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the main manifestations of this psychological trait and how to recognize a cynic:

Specific behavior in society. He is distinguished by rude speech and categorical judgments. For him there is only black and white. Does not accept other people's points of view and opinions, treats everyone with disdain.
Disregards moral values, ethics, and religious canons. He cannot enjoy contemplating masterpieces of art and culture, and does not want to follow generally accepted moral laws.
Mental callousness. Anyone who is a cynic does not know how to sympathize, empathize, show compassion, regret, shows the height of cynicism. Not influenced by negative thoughts.
People are treated with commercialism. In their environment there are only those with whom it is beneficial for them to contact; an ordinary person will not be in their social circle. An alliance with such a person is full of disappointments. He does not show tender feelings for his loved one, is not a romantic, and requires patience with himself. He can change with a calm soul and not suffer from remorse.
He is a skeptic and shows sarcasm. A cynical person is disdainful of other people's values. Makes sarcastic comments about other people's experiences. He does not think that his words can hurt and cause suffering.
For such a person there are no authorities. For him, modern cultural objects, historical figures, fame and recognition do not matter.
Sympathy and compassion are manifested specifically. They are cold and emotionally distant, and most often sympathize only to assert themselves.

But do not forget that cynicism can only be a protective mask. That is, a person only externally creates the impression of such an insensitive and immoral type.

Cynicism is necessary in some professions. For example, cynicism protects a doctor from emotional burnout and nervous breakdowns, and allows him to do his job efficiently. Rescuers, firefighters, psychologists, sappers, police officers must work with cold calculation, controlling any feelings and emotions.

Why are doctors, judges, and police officers not allowed to handle the affairs of their loved ones? The risk is too high. Too many emotions and subjective attitude. We need someone else who can approach the issue rationally, cynically and objectively.

Degrees of cynicism

Let us consider from the perspective of psychology and psychiatry what cynical behavior is at different levels of its development and complexity.

Normal cynicism

It is based on distrust of the surrounding society. Therefore, it is very easy for such a person not to give money to a beggar, not to fall for the new “very favorable tariff” or discounts in his favorite store.

Egocentrism can often hide under this sauce. When a person thinks exclusively for his own benefit in any life situations.

Black humor

As you know, black humor is jokes for intelligent people. And among them there are a lot of cynics. Therefore, they love jokes on topics that are alien to the average member of society.

But it is worth remembering that just because someone jokes about death, this does not mean that he is a psychopath (sociopath) or a murderer. Often such people turn out to be very kind and sensitive individuals.

Cold and sanity

Representatives of this group have an analytical mind. If we talk about their emotional level, it is very meager. Such people are not capable of sympathy or pity.

This kind of people will not console a friend, will not wipe away his tears, but immediately begin to think about how to solve the problem. Cold emotionally and in relationships. This behavior makes it difficult for “cold cynics” to establish reliable social contacts. They are either official in nature or absent altogether.

Teenage maximalism

The definition of this type of cynicism is very similar to teenage maximalism. Such people deny absolutely everything: from politics in the country to bouquets for the Eighth of March.

The sooner they realize that wasting energy on negativity is pointless, the sooner they will see something beautiful around them.

Why a person becomes a cynic - reasons

As was already written above, cynics are made, not born. There are certain mechanisms for the development of cynicism in a person, the reasons for which may be:

previously experienced disappointment in life, betrayal of a loved one, pain, loss, other negative experience;
features of parental education - lack of tenderness and affection, excessive severity and rudeness;
the presence of a strong intrapersonal conflict, existential crisis, loss of faith in justice, destruction of ideals and illusions;
loss of support, lack of self-confidence, feeling threatened;
very high self-esteem, pride and manifestations of selfishness;
disregard for generally accepted values in order to express one’s individuality;
signs of a more serious and deep psychological illness.

The main mechanism of development is strong long-term negative experience, excessive self-confidence, thanks to which a person considers himself superior to others. Before becoming a cynic, a person experiences a strong shock, after which his outlook on life changes.

With the help of healthy cynicism, people protect themselves from professional burnout and other negative consequences for the psyche. Moreover, they perform their tasks more professionally, since they turn off feelings and emotions. For example, a judge becomes dispassionate when making a decision; the defendant should not arouse pity or hatred in him.

Why does cynicism arise?

We have already smoothly approached this issue, that cynicism is a kind of defense! Moreover, protecting oneself from the outside world. Psychologists identify the main reasons for the emergence of cynicism or the intensification of its manifestation:

Heartache from separation or betrayal
Parents who were too strict and/or rude, who entirely dictated their own rules, did not show love
Low self-esteem
Loss of Ideals
I'm in a deep phase of depression
Disappointment in life or society
Loss of support in life, which leads to a feeling of insecurity
The desire to oppose the system to prove one's superiority and individualism
It may also be the result of excessive narcissism and/or pride. By the way, you might be interested in reading the article “Pride and Arrogance: What’s the Difference?”

Important: Cynicism is self-defense, an opportunity to protect yourself from pain!

Causes

Two types of cynicism

According to psychologists, there are two main types of cynicism:

Household . It manifests itself in everyday life through immoral actions, disregard for norms of behavior and other people's feelings, ridicule of people, ignoring other people's interests and desires.
Professional . It often occurs in those individuals whose psyche systematically suffers from serious challenges associated with the work sphere.

There is also another classification of cynicism:

legal - a person does not want to live in accordance with legal norms and laws;
social – disregard for moral standards;
social – present in a separate community;
economic – expresses dissatisfaction with the economic system.

General information and classification

The word cynic comes from “cynicus”, which means “cynic” in Latin. It is not surprising that the word cynic is considered as a synonym for cynic. This also includes a shameless person, a disgrace, an insolent person. There was a direction in philosophy that was represented by cynics - people who wanted to get rid of conventions and distance themselves from family, society, and the state. Illiteracy and bad behavior were seen as a good thing.

Cynicism is a deliberate disregard for ethics and moral values. It expresses inner rebellion. Cynicism can arise when a person feels impunity, he has nothing more to lose.

A cynic is a person who opposes the moral norms accepted in society. It is often associated with irony, tactlessness, a sense of permissiveness and rude behavior. Looking at a cynical person, one gets the impression that such concepts as kindness, sympathy, pity and modesty are unusual for him. But it is worth considering the fact that some individuals hide their hypersensitivity under cynicism, because they consider it their weak side.

A true cynic can only be an adult who has already formed principles, has life experience and the ability to make informed choices.

If cynicism is moderate, then it is considered as a manifestation of intelligence. One may get the impression that a cynic is confident in himself and will never allow himself to be deceived. Cynical men are of interest to girls because they know how to joke ironically, such individuals are interesting interlocutors. But with prolonged communication, it becomes clear that the young man devalues those things that are significant to others, that he is not capable of deep feelings. Love and normal communication with a cynic is possible for a person who has a cynical character. But it’s better for vulnerable people not to start a relationship with a cynical person. Unless cynicism is a mask that allows you to hide your sensitivity.

Cynicism may manifest itself differently in different people. These types are distinguished.

Healthy cynic. Such a person will not participate in the lottery and will be indifferent to letters of an obviously fraudulent nature. From one point of view, these are good traits, such a person is reasonable, but from the other, an indifferent attitude.
A malicious pest. Any cynic who does not have the opportunity to stop in time will definitely fall into a similar state. He will be indifferent to the failure of others and will ignore losers. These cynics are absolutely miserable people.
Anti lyricist. Such a person hates kisses when meeting, giving flowers, valentines. But this does not mean that he is completely devoid of feelings; in fact, this individual believes that such actions are not a manifestation of true romance. Such a person is a maximalist, he hates deception and often goes to extremes. The cynicism of a given person is a way of resisting obsessive opinions and banality. There is a risk that the anti-lyricist will begin to withdraw into himself or begin to commit evil towards other people. When you want a lot, but you get little, you become angry at people.
Black comedian. Despite the fact that this type is the most harmless, it can greatly offend a sensitive person. Despite the “dark” jokes, such a cynic has a sense of compassion. They see black humor as just jokes. He can separate reality and the fantasy world. The negative aspects of this type is that people may perceive such a person as evil. An individual must feel the boundaries of what is permitted, and not be annoying, imposing his jokes on other people. If dark humor is not appreciated in a certain circle, there is no need to continue making such jokes or get upset that people do not understand such jokes.
Materialist without imagination. Such a cynic has a strong mind that crowds out his feelings. At times this works to his advantage. This individual will not suffer from unrequited love. If he realizes that someone does not like him, he will simply switch his attention to other people. If any problem arises, he will not suffer, he will simply change the situation. In fact, such a person is deprived of many things in life. For example, while at a movie theater, a person will not evaluate the picture in general; he will observe how well the actors play. Such individuals do not believe in selflessness; they are incapable of empathy. There is a risk that life will remain exclusively business relationships.

There is also another type of classification.

Legal. Cynicism is aimed at laws, legal norms, and the unwillingness to live in accordance with them.
Public. This cynicism is observed among a group of people who want to have a happy society, from individuals who are comfortable coexisting. At the same time, the moral norms that are characteristic of a given society are not taken into account.
Social cynicism. It appears in the middle of a single community of people.
Economic. Characterized by dissatisfaction with the economic system existing in the country, the functioning of economic laws at the time of development of society.

Brief characteristics of a cynic in psychology

Cynical people oppose lofty ideals and feelings; they do not believe in love. They don’t think about shame, they are sure that everything in life can be bought, that there are no things or values that need to be treasured. Such individuals communicate with other people only when it is beneficial for them. He will reject everything sublime and does not believe in true love and friendship.

Sympathy, pity and compassion are not inherent in such people. They can only sympathize if they are trying to be superior. They can laugh at the values that are important to other people.

Can communicate rudely, point out mistakes, criticize, make sarcastic remarks. For him there are no authorities, he can aggressively perceive the opinions of others, his own opinion is considered the only correct one. Such a person sometimes suffers from anxious thoughts, inner emptiness, complete confusion, and awareness of injustice.

The modern concept of cynicism was preceded by the ideology of cynicism. What did this suggest? The Cynics opposed themselves to society, rejected social norms and generally accepted values.

They emphasized that any human needs, including biological (animal) ones, are natural, correct and allowed. Of course, complete freedom often looked asocial and more like arbitrariness.

Cynicism was a counterculture; its representatives called themselves marginal. Modern cynicism is not so active and pronounced.

It is more often limited to thinking, the mental opposition of the individual to society, and not to active actions.

Who is this cynic?

A cynic is a person who demonstratively disregards social, cultural or religious values, as well as moral norms and rules of behavior. There is no consensus in society regarding this type of people. Some see in the cynic a strong personality, witty and decisive, who sees human shortcomings and boldly condemns them. Others believe that a cynical person is an immoral type who is not capable of feeling, but only mocks everything that is dear to normal people. Let's try to figure out which of them is closer to the truth.

Describing the cynic personality type, the authors place the main emphasis on the destructiveness of this concept. So, most readers who want to understand this topic, without extensive searching on the Internet, will read a couple of articles and decide that cynics are bad. But, if you analyze your own life experience , it becomes clear that a cynical person is not such a bad person at all. First, let's look at the concept itself and the history of its origin.

Rebellion against social norms and routines has probably occurred since the beginning of humanity. This was not yet cynicism, in its modern sense. It’s just that some people, due to the characteristics of their temperament or character, find it more difficult to get along with others. For the first time, cynicism as a mass phenomenon appeared in Ancient Greece, around the 4th-5th centuries BC. It was then that the thinker Antisthenes founded the philosophical school of the Cynics, who began to fight against conventions. They welcomed maximum simplification and naturalness in all areas of life. The Romans apparently did not pronounce the letter “k” well, so they later renamed them Cynics.

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One of the brightest followers of Cynicism was Diogenes of Sinope, who was remembered by his contemporaries and descendants for his unique way of life. The idea of him as a philosopher who lived in a barrel has firmly entered into popular culture. Even as a philosophy, cynicism was closely related to marginality, that is, the loss of a person from social relationships. Even in the 21st century, this type of thinking pushes its owner towards an asocial lifestyle. But this happens only in the case of pronounced cynicism.

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Centuries passed, and gradually philosophical cynicism retreated, leaving only a word that began to be used to call those who do not accept social norms. It is unlikely that modern homeless people or spiteful critics who denigrate any aspects of human relations feel involved in philosophy. But are people who show cynicism so wrong? To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the reasons that give rise to this type of worldview.

As a rule, people become cynics in response to impunity or disappointment. These are different options, and therefore their “fruits” cannot be assessed in the same way. In the first case, we are talking about a feeling of permissiveness and self-confidence, when egocentrism dominates. Representatives of the “golden youth” are considered a striking example of such cynics. They do not believe in the sincerity of those around them, they revel in the power of their parents’ money, they do not care about laws and orders, realizing that they will be able to pay themselves off in any situation. Sometimes their behavior poses a threat to others.

The second option includes cynics who are simply disillusioned with the justice of the world. This worldview becomes a defensive reaction for them. Unlike majors, such people are characterized by a certain mental disorder, which can progress, turning them into criminals or misanthropes (they hate others). Depending on the degree of severity of cynicism, it is customary to talk about its various types, which we will consider in detail.

How to quickly recognize a cynic in life

Recognizing a cynic in life can be quite a difficult task. Most people simply have a wayward character and rudeness, which can be confused with a cynic. By what factors can you recognize such a person:

Lack of empathy. In standard human relationships, each person tries to understand the other, to put himself in his place. A cynic will not try to feel compassion for your problems, your feelings and emotions. Moreover, he will not even be able to feign empathy to alleviate your emotional state;
Lack of a system of moral principles and values . In most cases, those general norms of behavior that are inherent to everyone are empty words for a cynic. In conversations on most topics, the lack of moral values will stand out;
Deviant behavior. If, when communicating with a person, you see deviations from the person’s model of healthy behavior, perhaps you are a cynic.
Black humor. If a person is not involved in difficult professions, but you see his unhealthy attitude towards issues of life, death, love, etc., then this may be one of the manifestations of cynicism.

Who is a cynical person?

Having understood who a cynic is in simple words, it is worth considering the issue of cynicism of a different kind and looking deeper into the problem. From the point of view of psychologists, a cynic is a person who unconsciously uses one of the defense mechanisms to deal with stress. This trait can develop over time in some professions associated with emotional burnout.

In this case, the cynical person is a victim of the chosen path. Such cynicism is usually called cold, which means a denial of the usual ethical norms. This property helps you work more productively without getting caught up in emotions. For example, anesthesiologists often have this trait, which develops as a side effect of the profession.

But the field of activity is not always associated with the appearance of this character trait. The reason may be severe shocks that lead to the activation of a defense mechanism (cruel upbringing, psychological trauma, severe disappointment). Experienced events give rise to denial of a specific episode and moral values in general.

Some reasons for the appearance of cynicism in character:

Loss of a loved one, loss, betrayal;
Rough or low-emotional upbringing;
Intrapersonal conflict, loss of ideals, destruction of illusions;
Feeling of defenselessness, uncertainty about the future, loneliness;
Egocentrism, high self-esteem, snobbery;
The desire to be an extraordinary person.

Examples of cynicism in life

Cynicism is a fairly common phenomenon, examples of which can be found at any time. First of all, this is demonstrative dominant behavior, ostentatious denial of other people’s ideals, and a negative attitude towards universal human values.

Playwrights and novelists use cynicism in relationships to create their characters. An example of this behavior is the Kid’s well-known friend named Carlson. Throughout the book, he brazenly and cynically uses the boy for his own purposes. His attitude is self-centered and consumerist. But the play partner treats the cynic with trepidation and love. This happens in real life - if one of the two is a cynic in a couple, then all the sacrifices have to be made by the second partner.

Another hardened cynic is Bazarov from the work “Fathers and Sons” by I. Turgenev. The reason for his defect was loneliness and a feeling of being lost. He was a cynic both in words and in thoughts. Moreover, his personality aroused interest among outside observers, but his egocentrism and neglect sometimes looked stupid.

Cynical people are often found in literature. Another well-known and beloved character by many is Ostap Bender from “12 Chairs” by Ilf and Petrov. He did not even hide his exorbitant cynicism and greed. At the same time, the personality of the “great schemer” was very interesting - he had a sharp, resourceful mind, insight, ingenuity and a unique sense of humor. All this endowed the “son of a Turkish subject” with charm and charm, the effect of which quickly faded after his cynical actions.

The beloved Sherlock Holmes is another example of cold cynicism. The devilishly smart and insightful detective did not hide his disdainful behavior towards others. He saw in the crimes committed only a source of entertainment in the form of interesting riddles. Some researchers even consider him a psychopath.

Perhaps the creators of Doctor House from the series of the same name were inspired by this hero. This “hero of our time,” a brilliant doctor, with a remarkable mind saves the lives of hopeless patients by finding the cause of their ailments. But like Holmes, he sees people only as a way to have fun and overcome boredom. He shamelessly uses his friends to obtain drugs, and even the love of a beautiful woman cannot change the hardened cynic Gregory House.

What to do if you discover a cynic in yourself

You can live with cynicism. There is no need to try to suppress it in yourself if it helps you. If this character trait does not have a negative impact on your psyche, you just need to accept it, do not deny it in yourself and do not reproach yourself for it.

If possible, try to restrain yourself from sarcasm and dark humor, since people really don’t like it.

You need to learn to trust people, understand that not everyone is a hypocrite, not everyone is looking for profit. It is important to adhere to healthy cynicism, it helps in life. If possible, restrain yourself from various discussions and disputes.

Your arguments are too painful for people. Psychologists recommend learning to enjoy life. Turn off your mind more often, feel your heart, obey its will.

If you feel that this trait is causing you more inconvenience than benefit, consult a psychologist. He will help you work through the problem and find its causes. Afterwards, it will be easier for you to control cynicism and get along with it.

What does the word cynic mean in the explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, essay on the Unified State Examination

(1) What does the word cynic mean?
(2) In the “Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language” by S.I. Ozhegov and N.Yu. Shvedov defines the word cynical as “shameless,” and cynicism as “disregard for the norms of public morality, ethics, impudence, shamelessness.” (3) Do any of us really consciously want to be or look shameless?! (4) After all, shamelessness is incompatible with love. (5) They are not ashamed only of those whom they do not love, whom they do not respect, and towards whom they express a bad attitude. (b) It is not for nothing that in the Russian cultural tradition shame has always coexisted with conscience: “Neither shame nor conscience!” - says the well-known popular censure of a person with cynical behavior. (7)

And a person crosses the border of good and evil most often through the word - through the incorrect, inappropriate, unnatural use of words, through profanity, that is, through bad words! (8) Because of this, such a transgression (or more simply, a crime) of the norms of public morality is called foul language. (9)

Imagine, dear friends, that one of you is walking down the street in clean, neat, new clothes. (10) And suddenly someone, through negligence or intentionally, throws dirt at you. (11) Your clothes will suddenly take on a completely different look, and you yourself will feel differently. (12)

Don't you immediately want to wash your face and hands, clean your clothes from this dirt?! (13) But the human soul also has its own clothing, invisible to the eye, but perceptible to the inner sense. (14) The clothing of every person’s soul becomes dirty when a person hears foul language. (15)

However, since a person walks in very dirty clothes or is used to always walking only in dirty clothes, then some more dirt may not upset him as much as a person who is used to walking in clean and neat clothes. (16) According to D.S. Likhachev, “the surest way to know a person is his mental development, his moral character, his character - to listen to how he speaks.” (17)

If we notice a person’s manner of carrying himself, his gait, his behavior and judge a person by them, sometimes, however, erroneously, then a person’s language is a much more accurate indicator of his human qualities, his culture. (18) How to learn a high culture of speech, that is, good speech? (19)

To do this, you need not only to know the rules and norms of the Russian language. (20) It is equally important to read and listen to those who left us the highest examples of Russian literature! (21) Russian literature is very rich in verbal treasures. (22) By reading aloud the best works of Russian poets and writers, copying them from dictation, studying the content of this literature, you can gradually learn to write and speak correctly in a clear and beautiful language. (23)

And on the contrary, if our hearing constantly perceives only tongue-tied phrases, slang, jargon, criminal language and profanity, then what kind of speech culture can we talk about? (24) And how will our word resonate in the world around us? (According to B. Pivovarov) The text proposed for analysis raises the problem of speech culture. How to learn to speak and write in a beautiful and clear language? How does speech characterize a person?

This problem belongs to the category of moral ones. To illustrate it, B. Pivovarov cites the words of D.S. Likhachev: “The surest way to get to know a person is his mental development, his moral character, his character - to listen to how he speaks.”

It is impossible not to agree with the author's opinion. Indeed, foul language has a detrimental effect on the moral health of people.

Many works by Russian authors are devoted to the problem of speech culture. One of the most striking examples is

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How to communicate with a cynic without harming yourself

It is difficult to communicate with such a person, especially for emotional people. If it is not possible to exclude him from your social circle, it is recommended to follow these tips:

Don't try to convince. A cynic has excessively high self-esteem, he considers himself the smartest and is confident that he is right.
Do not engage in polemics or disputes. Such a person will always find a lot of arguments to prove that he is right.
Do not allow yourself to be drawn into conflict. Even if you see that a person is behaving inappropriately, do not try to quarrel with him or be rude.
Gain trust. This must be done if you value your relationship with him. A cynic can turn out to be a good and loyal friend if he begins to trust you.
Don't try to change it.
Understand that a cynic often does not intend to hurt you with words, it’s just his way of communicating.

When a cynic devalues the successes of others, this translates to “I really wanted to be someone, but I didn’t succeed. It hurts and envys me to look at others’ achievements because it reminds me of my failure.”

There is no need to despise and fear cynical people, every cynic simply says what people around them think, this is good from any point of view, it is not always appropriate, but when the word hits the mark and a person agrees with the cynic, it almost always has favorable consequences, i.e. .To. he tries to correct the shortcomings.

Main characteristics

Who is this cynic? Someone who considers events unacceptable to themselves. Every time they claim that everything that is happening around is complete nonsense and nonsense. They are individualists or renegades. They find it difficult to accept what is happening around them. They despise fads, ridicule fashion, and dislike trends because they prefer what has "withstood the test of time and the storms of adversity." In other words, they respect old things. Respect is a big problem for cynics. They don't give it automatically. It must be earned, and at a high price. One of the best things about cynics is that when they foresee something going wrong, they try to find an alternative that has the least chance of failure.

A cynic will think one thing and say something else out loud. He does not like to communicate with people for a long time, wanting the dialogue to end quickly. It's safe to say “I'm a cynic” if you tend to use a sarcastic tone or make a clear argument without the right to challenge it.

How to raise a child so that he does not grow up to be a cynic

Typically, the traits of cynicism begin to develop in a person in childhood. There are simple rules for raising a child so that he does not grow up to be a cynic:

do not ridicule his behavior and emotions;
do not give in to the desire to conflict;
praise and encourage good actions and behavior;
be emotionally attached, show your love;
Be responsible;
show that your child comes first;
help express your emotions;
provide him with unconditional support.

It is important to understand that children's cynicism is easier to correct than an adult's. When communicating with your child, think about whether your behavior is the cause of this character trait in your child.

Cynics are people who have their feet on the ground, and do not have their head in the clouds, having read fairy tales and watched enough slobbering films. Cynics are simply realists. They look at the world with their own eyes, perceive it as it is, and not through rose-colored glasses. The healthiest people in the world.

Cynics from childhood

What could be cuter than a young child? But it was not there. When the whole family celebrated their third anniversary, dramatic changes in the personality of their child begin.

The child falls into negativism: he doesn’t like everything, throws tantrums, and begins to make trouble for any reason. Also tries to boss his mom and dad around. For example, when a girl gets her pigtails tied, she rips the rubber bands onto the floor and stomps on them, showing her “fi.”

Thus, he asserts himself in this new and incomprehensible world. Contrastes himself with relatives and everything that happens around him. This is how the child studies himself, realizes his separate “I”, which used to be one with the person who raised and nursed him. As a rule, this is the mother.

Therefore, if in the future such a son or daughter grows into a cynic, this does not mean that the individual has a desire to not give a damn about everything around him. This is how she asserts and expresses herself. In this way, people build their own personality, and do not encroach on other people's values.

Cynicism on the part of men towards women

A cynical man inspires confidence, alluring harshness, masculinity and sexuality. But this is only until he starts a relationship with a woman. She will either have to endure it or leave.

There is a common feature for all cynic men - they prefer to be in open relationships. They don't believe in love and deny romance. They are unapproachable, vulnerable, hiding their true feelings under the guise of coldness and sarcasm. They are afraid to trust and open their hearts.

If you, as a woman, are not satisfied with this attitude from a man. Don't try to re-educate the person. Accept that this is not your person.

What is Cynic?

Cynic

is an American progressive metal band that has existed from 1988 to the present time with a break in 1995-2006. The musicians are based in Miami, Florida, USA.

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How to deal with cynicism

In order to cope with cynicism, you need to focus on developing empathy, compassion, learning to set priorities correctly and accept spiritual values. Cynicism is an acute manifestation of realism and egoism.

The idea of cynics is based on satisfying their needs and interests, material and personal desires.

To get rid of cynicism, you need to develop romanticism in yourself and gradually get rid of selfishness. Start doing something selflessly for other people, develop empathy, learn empathy. Remember when you enjoyed life and contemplated something beautiful. Return to this moment and remember your feelings.

A cynical person: features of communication with him

Unfortunately, cynicism is fashionable now. A person of this character usually gives the impression of being smart and advanced without much effort. They call themselves realists and believe that they judge the world impartially.

In general, the attitude towards them is ambiguous. On the one hand, such behavior usually causes protest and mostly indignation among society. On the other hand, minor moderate cynicism is more often perceived by people as a sign of developed intelligence. A cynical person easily discerns the truth and essence through any verbal husk.

Many of these people take advantage of the fact that even a small amount of cynicism gives a smart person some kind of charm, allowing him to win against the background of enthusiastic people who are narrow-minded.

In general, people are designed in such a way that they need to believe in something, value something. And there will always be a person who devalues what is important to the people around him, and all this is done rather tactlessly. For him, delicacy and tact are also not a value.

Who is he? He's just a cynical person. What normal person would want to communicate with him? Indeed, as a result of communicating with a cynic, the consequences are such that a feeling of emptiness sets in, and life begins to seem primitive and even meaningless.

And living together with a cynic is unbearable. Otherwise, it is a path to depression and self-doubt.

How to become a cynic

It sounds strange, but for some people it is useful to gain a dose of cynicism in order to get out of the role of the eternal victim and throw off everyone who has climbed up and dangled their legs from their shoulders. Usually these are very soft, sensitive, weak-willed people who are easily manipulated by others, naive and too trusting.

To become a cynic you need:

focus on your disappointments;
expect a repetition of negative experiences;
question the motives of all people;
openly express your opinions and thoughts;
use black humor;
constantly making cutting remarks to others;
openly ridicule all the vices of society;
Don't be afraid to voice your disapproval.

Remember that being a complete cynic will never bring about positive changes in your life. Moreover, it will deprive you of a certain range of emotions, experiences and life experiences. But “healthy,” controlled cynicism can be useful.

The most famous cynics in history

There are quite a few famous people in history who were notorious cynics, but let’s focus on the brightest and most talented personalities.

Sigmud Freud

The father of psychoanalysis reduced all high feelings to simple instincts. He believed that people are not the crown of creation. This misanthrope believed that man is only a puppet in the hands of an evil, irrational world will.

He considered the essence of man to be only procreation, without any bright feelings. I didn’t want to be deceived by other ideas.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche was an atheist who believed that all human ideals are buried with God. At heart, he was a romantic who lacked bright ideals and expectations. They died after disappointments in life.