Couldn't Have Said It Better...

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try." - Peggy Noonan

 

I found this quote online this morning and thought it was worth a reflection.  Optimism has always been easy for me, but I know that some people look down on the "always look on the bright side" philosophy and find it irritating if not outright annoying.  And I guess for the most part, I'm better classified as a stoic than an optimist.  I don't believe that everything is always sunny and wonderful.  Some things (earthquakes, cancer, unemployment) are hard to smile about, but stoicism provides the nice cover of knowing that everything will be alright - even if it isn't right now.  But cynicism is one school of thought that I just can't buy into and I think the quote above is a pretty good summation of why.  I think cynicism is too often a surrender to fatalism in the mask of bold, gritty, realism.  Cynics will point out the truth of how messed up the world really is, but what good is embracing that truth without the belief that change is both possible and worth it?