Be Cynical by Michael Carroll from Awake at Work from Shambhala Publications Normally,
If we describe ourselves as cynical,
We mean that we are singularly suspicious of other people,
Skilled in recognizing hypocrisy and selfish motives.
Millionaire CEOs bankrupting companies,
Politicians calling for ethics in the boardroom,
Executives granting themselves millions of stock options.
The list would be long and the targets easy.
As cynics,
We smile wryly to ourselves with an,
I told you so,
Written discreetly across our face,
Not fooled by other people's predictable charades.
Ironically,
If we were to look back in history,
We would find the original cynics did not share such smugness.
They were fiercely suspicious to be sure,
But primarily of themselves,
Not others.
The cynic philosophers of ancient Greece taught that to find contentment in life,
We need not look any further than ourselves.
They considered prestige,
Political power,
Material wealth,
And beauty false enticements to trust in external pleasures rather than themselves for contentment.
As ascetics,
Cynics became notorious for ruthlessly unmasking their own hidden desires for material happiness.
Many cynics exposed themselves purposefully to severe criticism from their teachers and lived lives of utmost simplicity,
Often to the extreme.
Students engaged in rude debates,
Taunting each other and testing each other's commitment to rejecting the corruption of worldly pleasures.
And of course,
They parodied Greek society at large,
Often in brilliant and hilarious street theater.
While the cynics were greatly admired by many in ancient Greece,
They were also seen as a bit wild and a social pain in the neck.
Their sarcastic street theater won them the label of kynikos or resembling dogs,
The cynics.
But despite their biting social criticism,
The cynics were fiercely honest first about not kidding themselves,
Examining their own motives,
Not just those of others.
Taking a cue from the original cynics then,
To be cynical is to first question ourselves,
Not others.
Rather than smugly cataloging other people's hypocrisy,
We permit the sharp intelligence of cynicism to become our moral compass for being honest with ourselves.
The reminder encourages us to first feel our insecurities about work.
Our aspirations for such things as recognition from the boss,
Increased authority,
Or a promotion to a senior position are valid,
Of course.
We all want to succeed at work.
To be cynical,
However,
Is to look for any desire to mislead ourselves about such aspirations.
How much are we invested in being validated by our boss?
What do we hope to get out of such recognition?
How well do we handle our authority?
Do we make others comfortable or are we arrogant and aloof?
Will we be embarrassed if we're passed over for promotion?
Why?
By accurately sorting through our hopes and fears about success at work,
We begin gradually cutting through the false enticements we attribute to our jobs and careers.
Like the cynics of old,
We slowly learn to look no further than ourselves for our sense of identity or personal self-worth.
We learn to rely on our inherent authenticity,
Our humor,
Open heart,
And precise mind for fulfillment and meaning in our lives.
Over time,
Our healthy cynicism grows sharp and reliable,
An intelligence that seeks no confirmation and is clear-seeing,
Realistic,
And fearless.
We become accustomed to work's uncertainties and discerning toward its enticements,
The well-staged presentation for a temperamental boss,
A sales pitch perfectly executed to seduce the customer's sweet spot,
An accounting report seamlessly written to highlight the smiles and tone down the wrinkles,
A recruiting pitch that weaves an idyllic yet one-sided picture of future employment.
Rather than buying the false assurances and sugar-coated promises,
We simply look closer and consider the substance over the superficial,
An activity that is demanding yet inherently decent.
Being cynical in such circumstances requires tough intelligence,
A clear and present mind,
And a steadfast character not easily seduced by external gratification.
By being cynical,
We might see how others may hope to manipulate us on occasion.
Since we're not easily fooled by ourselves,
We're not easily fooled by others.
Being wary in such a sharp way does not require us to be scornful or detached,
Just willing to be vigilant and candid with ourselves.
We can be brutally honest with ourselves without brutalizing the world around us.
At the heart of being cynical is the sobering reminder that no promotion,
Bonus,
Paycheck,
Retirement fund,
Job perk,
No lucrative contract,
Prestigious connection,
Slap on the back,
Or job title can bring us lasting satisfaction.
We can stop wishing for the lottery to save us from work and be honest with ourselves.
Sugar-coating false guarantees and momentary pleasures can never substitute for the ease of simply being who we are,
Where we are.
The sharp candor of cynicism leaves no room for mortgaging our authenticity out of insecurity or indulgence.
To be cynical in this sense is a noble gesture of honesty and an act of personal courage.
