How cynical are you?

[kenny]

1 is minimum.
10 is maximum.

 

[kenny]

8 here.

 

[Andelain]

I doubt anyone would want to answer a poll like this.

 

[pyramid]

I voted 5. I believe anyone over 5 would not buy diamonds due to what is written about plentiful supply, debeers cartel and prices kept high and also lack of investment.

 

[arkieb1]

Mostly a 9 on a good day I probably get down to a 7.

 

[mochiko42]

8 for me. Sometimes a 9 depending on my mood

 

[chrono]

7 on a good day.

 

[missy]

Depends on who I am with and what we are doing/what the situation is. With my dh my number is a 1. With a stranger a 7. I believe in cautious optimism when dealing with people. Expect the worst and that is just what you might get. But expect too much and you will inevitably be disappointed. So I adjust my expectations depending on the situation and the person/people involved.

So even though I am a NYer and I consider myself savvy I like to think I am not overly cynical so a 7 is my vote with people I don't yet know. My number is a 10 with certain work people unfortunately (but experience breeds accuracy) and I am never one to shy away from a learning experience and life lessons. With age comes wisdom as long as you are open to learning and not stuck on what you believed something to be when you are shown it is not.

Sorry for the long winded (as usual!) explanation.

 

[TooPatient]

9 give or take.

Depends on the day and the person. Life has thrown some pretty tough stuff at me too often to not be cynical. (my own mother didn't attend my wedding, the Rabbi had another appointment before our originally planned ceremony and WOULD have been at least an hour late (unless he has some sort of secret time machine or mega fast warp car ), and on down hill from there until I ended up spending all night cleaning up smoke damage in our kitchen from an intentionally set fire...)

I think that cynicism is well earned.

That said, I do try to give people the benefit of getting to know them and trying to see them in the best possible light. I'm often reminding DH that you don't know why people do what they do. Maybe they did ______ for some very good reason (speeding to get to hospital, walking into him with a cart because they are still stunned over bad news, etc)


I guess some days you could put me at a 7 or 8.
Today is more like 9.5

 

[yssie]

4, maybe? DH calls me a hopeless optimist.

I think the only reason I get through life without being taken for a new ride every ten minutes is that I'm very quick to judge - people, situations - and I've learnt to assume the worst until proven wrong. I'm always very happy to be proven wrong!


ETA: On thinking about it a bit more... I think I feel "safe" being optimistic - perhaps overly so sometimes - because I do believe in "cosmic justice"... I really, truly do believe that at the end of the day people get what they deserve. Whether or not it's by my hand, whether or not I'm there to witness this comeuppance... the firm belief that people WILL ultimately answer for their deeds in some way is enough for me. I don't consider myself particularly pious but I suppose that's as much a form of faith as any other.

 

[movie zombie]

what do you think?!
I think I was born cynical.......

 

[redwood66]

Is there an 11? If so I would be it. Just one more gift from all those years with the dregs of society.

 

[kenny]

Wow!
I'm surprised how cynful we are.

 

[missy]

Wow!
I'm surprised how cynful we are.

That too.

 

[lyra]

I think I want a good definition before I pigeonhole myself. A healthy sense of skepticism, yes. Practical, a realist, yes. Cynical? Not sure. I always think of cynical people as being very negative about life. I'm definitely not that.

 

[Calliecake]

Is there an 11? If so I would be it. Just one more gift from all those years with the dregs of society.

If I had the job you had Redwood, I'd be the most cynical person on the planet! I'm sure you have enough stories to tell to last a lifetime!

 

[Calliecake]

I rated myself a 6. Although that number can change on any given day.

 

[texaskj]

After 27 years working at a newspaper?
kenny, I could probably out-cynic you.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Eep. Pretty cynical. Once I'm burned or I don't feel right about something that's usually it for me.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I'm a 4. However it depends on what areas. I am cynical about Gov't and ebay transactions, but am much less cynical about people situations that we all encounter. I would not think that because a man made a pass at me, that he was going to rape me, or if someone admired a ring, he was going to steal it. I don't think people are mean, children are bullies, just because i find they expressed themselves not to my liking. I would not be afraid to ask directions in a questionable area if I am lost.

My first impressions are to like someone, until I find differently, thats how I am. I find people on PS to be very cynical about others, which surprises me. Some, who have had very bad experiences certainly might be cynical, so it does depend on the circumstances for them.
I am cautious where I feel I ought to be. Money transactions, I'm careful. But I do find decency in a lot of people, on a one to one basis.

Annette

 

[missy]

Hi,

I'm a 4. However it depends on what areas. I am cynical about Gov't and ebay transactions, but am much less cynical about people situations that we all encounter. I would not think that because a man made a pass at me, that he was going to rape me, or if someone admired a ring, he was going to steal it. I don't think people are mean, children are bullies, just because i find they expressed themselves not to my liking. I would not be afraid to ask directions in a questionable area if I am lost.

My first impressions are to like someone, until I find differently, thats how I am. I find people on PS to be very cynical about others, which surprises me. Some, who have had very bad experiences certainly might be cynical, so it does depend on the circumstances for them.
I am cautious where I feel I ought to be. Money transactions, I'm careful. But I do find decency in a lot of people, on a one to one basis.

Annette

Hi Annette, thanks for writing this. You're right. I think sometimes it's easy to forget this when life is difficult and hectic.

I think I want a good definition before I pigeonhole myself. A healthy sense of skepticism, yes. Practical, a realist, yes. Cynical? Not sure. I always think of cynical people as being very negative about life. I'm definitely not that.

Hi Lyra, I think it depends but I looked up the technical definition and I agree with you perhaps a better word would be realist vs cynical. I can only speak for myself of course but I think of myself as a realist. Sort of like the idealistic realist (or realistic idealist) LOL and like the optimistic pessimist (or pessimistic optimist).

cyn·i·cal
ˈsinikəl/Submit
adjective
1.
believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.
"her cynical attitude"
"most residents are cynical about efforts to clean mobsters out of their city"
synonyms: skeptical, doubtful, distrustful, suspicious, disbelieving; More
contemptuous; mocking.
"he gave a cynical laugh"
2.
concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted or appropriate standards in order to achieve them.
"a cynical manipulation of public opinion"

Yeah after reading that I prefer realist to cynical too.

 

[Karl_K]

Well since Sir John called me the most cynical person he knows I will have to vote 10!

 

[Calliecake]

Can I recast my vote? I asked my husband and a good friend if they thought I was a cynical person. Both of them laughed. I've been thru things that would make most people very cynical. I'm still very forgiving and anytime a stranger does something not very nice, I immediately think maybe something bad is happening in their life that they are dealing with. My husband said I'm more like a 2. My friend said a 1. Heck the internet is where you should probably be the most cynical. All you have to do is look at Gypsy's thread today about her sweet baby Hally to see there are a lot of wonderful people here.