Cynicism in 2022

A while ago, a friend sent our family an article of my dad’s that he had come across.  It is interesting for me to see glimpses into my father’s writing; I did not read a lot of what he wrote at the time and much of his work was on the editing and publication side.

The piece was on the topic of cynicism and was written in 1975 for a Christian magazine**.  Cynicism is a timeless subject; my father noted that cynicism “was everywhere these days.”  His examples of cynical responses included politicians dodging difficult issues, dismay over declining product quality, and sports teams like the Washington Capitals always having losing seasons – it was decades before the Caps won the Stanley Cup!

Dad’s article traced the origins of cynicism to ancient Greece, where a group called Cynics, founded by Diogenes, sought virtue and a life close to nature.  But one member acted rather cynically as we would understand the term, going “about the streets with a lantern in broad daylight, looking for an honest person.”  That search is eerily applicable today!

Cynicism has several close cousins:  sarcasm, skepticism, apathy, despair, and negativity, to name a few.  It can be comic or bitter.  The full title of my father’s article was “The Sport of Cynicism: Is it a game Christians should play?” His advice was to not allow “a sense of caution [to] deteriorate into a sneering manner.”  To do so, he said, was an evil influence.

As we begin this new year of 2022, one could feel very pessimistic.  The on-going pandemic and the continued division over its management are only the tip of the troubles we face.  As believers in God and in His sovereign plan for us, we should not feel hopeless.  My father’s article suggested two responses preferable to cynicism.  The first was gratitude.  I couldn’t agree more.  Genuine thankfulness prevents complaints and discontentment.  The second was patience; patience with difficult people and patience in continuing adversity.  The Lord gives these two perspectives to those who pray and seek Him, submitting themselves to His work in their lives.

And in a conclusion that should be completely familiar to readers of “A Writer’s Daughter,” my dad ended his piece quoting Scripture: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.”  (Colossians 3:16)  As God’s wise Word fills our minds and hearts, cynicism and fear cannot take hold.

**We looked into various periodicals that we thought dad’s piece might have been published in, but we were unable to determine that.

Author: Brenda Proulx

Wife, mother and grandmother, educator and someone who thinks about the things I observe. I am the daughter of a writer; my dad's career was in the field of journalism. More significantly, I am God's child, a person believing in Jesus Christ and in His timeless Word. Blogging is new to me but I feel like I've always had a pen in my hand. I jot notes in my planner, mark papers, underline verses, write many letters, and occasionally draft articles for work or church. When I am not holding a pen, I am probably cuddling a mug of coffee. View all posts by Brenda Proulx