Neuronography is like a cognitive tab- or link-dump, a map of my thoughtscape, an emptying of my head at a particular moment. What comes out may or may not be connected, may or may not make real sense.
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Just think about it for a sec.
Become aware of it, if you will.
You are now META.
Read a book about reading a book. You are now META.
Love love. You are... yep, you guessed it. META.
Eat part of a cannibal that has eaten a part of you. You are now... well, I don't know. Not meta, though, I don't think.
Thinking about metaness is SO META.
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Cynicism is too appealing. Although it masquerades as critical thought, it is no more a sign of free-thinking than, I don't know, literal Bible interpretation; both are systems, and to think within a system like them is inherently antithetical to freedom of cognition and growth of perspective. The endless questioning implicit in cynicism, the endless mistrust, does not breed more questioning, only rejection. Cynicism is easy. We better watch out for it.
Sincerity is the new irony.
(I hope.)
When do people not think within a system?
ReplyDeleteSome systems are worse than others.
ReplyDelete"Sincerity is the new irony."
ReplyDelete- It's a hopeful mantra for me too.
When I see people "being ironic," it makes me sad more often than not - much more often than it amuses me (even just saying "being ironic" feels weird and put-on and insincere). And I don't mean the people who use sarcasm for laughs - I mean the people whom you would identify as "yes, he/she is a very cynical person." I feel like people who "live ironically" (I have to put it all in quotes, it seems so ridiculous just to type that) aren't living sincerely, and, should I go so far as to say, aren't really living?
Like you said, cynicism is easy because lying is easy, faking is easy. I'd rather smile as often as possible and have people think I'm dim and bubbly than ever have someone think I'm "deep" but surly and sarcastic - or worst of all, think that of myself. It gives me an awful taste in my mouth when people equate cynicism and sarcasm with depth of character or breadth of intelligence. Malcontentedness I think is a perfect exigence for genius like necessity is the mother of invention, but being a malcontent is not the same as being a cynic - the former takes intense personal strength to maintain while you fight against its cause, intense strength to maintain without just submitting to the latter, submitting to and being complacent with defeat. It seems to me that cynicism and irony are major characteristics of the people who don't actually live what they believe and feel. And that's why it makes me sad.
(lol...maybe I should have just written a response entry in my own journal. I'm an impassioned person =) - I hope I live so that no one ever identifies me readily as a cynical/sarcastic/ironic person.)
The way you describe Cynicism almost sounds like Nihilism, which at least I consider a far more extreme form.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's anything "wrong" in having a world view that points toward the "worst in mankind" first. Each perspective has benefits and costs depending upon the situation. Which is why most people will have moments of cynicism/pessimism and of hope/optimism. A person may lean more in one direction or another, but they're never void of either side.
As for "ironic", the modern view of this is a certain cultural system where one consumes a number of cultural artifacts out of a want for the communal aspect of that cultural artifact rather than any personal enjoyment/fulfillment. A hipster/poser/fake or whatever is someone who acts like they enjoy something, but they're unwilling to put any emotional value into what they "enjoy".
I know fairly well the difference between cynicism and nihilism - cynicism (in modern understanding, not Greek philosophy) is a general, put-on attitude of distrust toward idealism and optimism basically in order to avoid naivite; while nihilism is still a doctrine of philosophy which posits the belief that values and goodness do not exist, but are contrived, and there is no real purpose in striving for such goals since the goals themselves are invented.
ReplyDeleteI never said there was anything objectively wrong with anything - I rarely do, since I cannot profess to ever be objective.
I completely agree that people of each perspective, cynicism and optimism, have moments of betweenness and opposition to their otherwise-normal subscribed beliefs. I feel that this is an obvious point. Everyone has darker moments as well as moments of faith and optimism. Like I said, as far as I can help it, I always try not to post things in binaries. I feel that I addressed this when I referred to these things as "major characteristics" instead of "absolutes." No one can subscribe 100% to any doctrine.
And it seems to me that "being ironic" means that you *pretend* to like the things you actually find abhorrent, not someone who really enjoys things but doesn't want to put emotion into it. Yes there is a communal aspect or there wouldn't be terms like "hipster." Also, you seem to just be restating what I said about people not really living their real feelings. At any rate, I don't see how you arguing this makes a point or proves my feelings any less valid, since I don't profess to be objectively better than anyone, and have plenty of right to say what I do not want to become.