Cynicism is not a neutral stance; while it demands almost nothing from us, it is highly contagious and incredibly destructive. In my view, it represents the most common and easiest form of negativity. Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, requires effort, and can often feel like the loneliest position on Earth. Hopefulness is not neutral either; it is a challenging stance that actively fights against cynicism. Each small redemptive or loving act helps keep negativity at bay, affirming that the world and its people have value and are worth defending. —Nick Cave, Musician
Cynicism goes beyond mere negativity; it is an attitude characterized by a general distrust of others' motives. A cynic often lacks faith or hope in people, viewing them as driven by greed or selfishness. One of the worst traps we can fall into is cynicism. People are becoming increasingly cynical, with a decline in trust in institutions, rising negativity on social media, and a general suspicion of others' motives. As Cave states, cynicism is easy, infectious, and destructive. I want to think that I am not a cynic, yet when a server says I’ll be with you in just a minute and it’s more like twenty minutes my cynicism creeps in and makes me wonder if they were lying rather than something unforeseen occurred. The question to ask is can I remain truly hopeful?
In the book “Finding Hope in a Cynical World,” Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki argues that “By never trusting, cynics never lose, but they also never win. Refusing to trust anyone is like playing poker while folding every hand before it begins.” While cynicism may protect us from being hurt, it also shuts down opportunities for collaboration, love, and community, all of which require trust. Zaki advocates not for idealism or toxic positivity, but rather for a hopeful skepticism that seeks out facts and evidence instead of relying solely on fears and emotions. He adds, “The cynical voice inside each of us claims that we already know everything about people. However, humanity is far more beautiful and complex than a cynic can imagine, and the future is much more mysterious than they realize.”
God is all knowledgeable, all powerful and all wise. He calls followers of Christ to have hope. Our faith in Christ assures us that God is actively working. The Holy Spirit can profoundly impact each heart, community, city, and nation. Our hope in Him is not in vain, as we have obtained access by faith into God’s grace, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory (Romans 5:2). The Apostle Paul states, “Hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). The Lord's love for us should fill us with hope, not only for God's work in us now and into eternity but also in our outlook toward others. As 1 Corinthians 13:7 says: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Let us strive to give people the benefit of the doubt and have hope that God will be at work.
