Litany Against Cynicism

While it’s no secret that we live in an era of profound distrust, I didn’t realize just how bad it was out there:

Trust is near zero, at least according to hedge fund manager Ray Dalio’s 3M+ LinkedIn Followers. If this is even close to how Americans really feel about our politicians, media, and legal system, it’s amazing our country is still functioning. While there’s certainly good cause for all this distrust—e.g. the proliferation of public corruption, the often stunning lack of quality in the news, massive wealth inequality, and our obviously racist and classist legal system—does anything good ever come from cynicism? I think not.

In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with what our guest this week on The Nick Halaris Show, Demetri Kofinas, said—that we actually have a moral obligation to resist cynicism, for in embracing cynicism you become complicit in the very thing you so dislike. Each time you acquiesce to the sirens calls of the cynic, you further erode the critical connections you have with your community.

So, you distrust your elected officials and don’t believe the media is presenting the truth. So what! What really matters—what I’m concerned about—is what you will do about this, not what you think. If there’s a theme to these pages in Profit+ let it be this:

No matter how bad it gets out there, refuse to give-in to cynicism. Take all that powerful energy and apply it instead in a positive direction. Be a force for good. Engage constructively, not just in dialogue, but in action. Use the best of yourself to try to make a difference in whatever way you can.

While this kind of optimism may seem crazy or foolish, it is not, for there is an inherent power in democracy. Remember: all of the great movements of history began with the voices and actions of a few concerned citizens. This is especially true here in America, where we have a legacy of revolution. At the fountainhead of our great victories, like ending slavery and the civil rights movements, you can find the voices of a few courageous citizens who stood forth in the crowd and said “No, we will not stand for this.” As famed holocaust survivor, psychologist, and author Viktor Frankl once argued, this is our ultimate power and the true meaning of freedom:

What Frankl is saying here is that, no matter how bad things get, you are always free to choose to find meaning and you have an opportunity to do something to make things better. Wise and empowering words for us.

By the way, after surviving Auschwitz of all places, Frankl wrote what I consider the greatest self-help book ever written—Man’s Search for Meaning—which if you haven’t read, you must!

While Dalio’s poll produced some pretty ugly findings, you don’t have to wallow passively in discontent. You don’t have to turn away or reject the responsibilities of your political life. Nor do you have to just accept the status quo. No, there are actually all kinds of things you can do:

• If you don’t trust your elected representatives, support the campaign and career of someone you do trust or consider running for office yourself.

• If you are concerned about the spread of lies and falsehood on the Internet, speak out, write articles, create videos and other content that can serve as an antidote. Be a voice for the truth.

• If you are concerned about media bias, be very careful and thoughtful about what kind of media you engage with and consider supporting the work of people like The Nick Halaris Show Guest Isaac Saul, who’s trying to overcome bias every day with Tangle newsletter.

• If you are concerned about unfairness in the legal system, support the non-profit legal action groups that are fighting for justice.

The sky’s the limit here. All you need is courage and some imagination.

Like what you’re reading? Please forward to others and encourage to subscribe.

🙏 Thank you!