Cynicism Quotes

• The opposite of creativity is cynicism

  Esa Saarinen

  Creativity, Opposites, Cynical

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• Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering a room others by leaving the room. Some individuals leave trails of gloom; others, trails of joy. Some leave trails of hate and bitterness; others, trails of love and harmony. Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism; others trails of faith and optimism. Some leave trails of criticism and resignation; others trails of gratitude and hope. What kind of trails do you leave?

  William Arthur Ward

  Happiness, Gratitude, Hate

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• In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?

  Barack Obama

  Hope, Election, Ends

  Barack Obama (2008). “Yes, We Can”, p.48, BoD – Books on Demand

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• Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us.

  Stephen Colbert

  Hurt, Optimistic, Self

  "Stephen Colbert Commencement Address". Transcript of remarks to graduating seniors at Knox College, departments.knox.edu. June 2006.

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• I think we too often make choices based on the safety of cynicism, and what we're lead to is a life not fully lived. Cynicism is fear, and it's worse than fear - it's an active disengagement.

  Ken Burns

  Fear, Thinking, Safety

  "Ken Burns — Searching for the Soul of America". Interview with Mark Gerzon, www.lionsroar.com. June 13, 2016.

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• In the end we shall have had enough of cynicism, skepticism and humbug, and we shall want to live more musically.

  Vincent Van Gogh

  Want, Had Enough, Harmony

  Naomi E. Maurer, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin (1998). “The Pursuit of Spiritual Wisdom: The Thought and Art of Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin”, p.35, Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press

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• Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist.

  George Carlin

  Funny, Disappointment, Humor

  "A Note on George Carlin about Steroids and Sports from a Practical Idealist" by Carol Smaldino, www.huffingtonpost.com. June 19, 2009.

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• Optimism with some experience behind it is much more energizing than plain old experience with a certain degree of cynicism.

  Twyla Tharp

  Optimistic, Optimism, Experience

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• What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

  Oscar Wilde

  Inspirational, Funny, Leadership

  'Lady Windermere's Fan' (1892) act 3

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• Most cynics are really crushed romantics: they've been hurt, they're sensitive, and their cynicism is a shell that's protecting this tiny, dear part in them that's still alive.

  Jeff Bridges

  Romantic, Hurt, Shells

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

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• Scratch any cynic and you will find a disappointed idealist.

  George Carlin

  Funny, Sarcastic, Witty

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• A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.

  H. L. Mencken

  Funny, Flower, Humor

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• A cynic can chill and dishearten with a single word.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Chill, Cynic, Single Word

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1971). “The Collected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Society and solitude”, p.157, Harvard University Press

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• Cynicism is that blackguard defect of vision which compels us to see the world as it is, instead of as it should be.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Vision, World, Should

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• Cynicism is intellectual dandyism.

  George Meredith

  Intellectual, Dandyism

  'The Egoist' (1879) ch. 7

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• ...all cynicism masks a failure to cope.

  John Fowles

  Mask

  John Fowles (1968). “The Magus”, Pan

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• The only deadly sin I know is cynicism.

  Henry L. Stimson

  Anticipation, Sin, Reincarnation

  Henry L. Stimson (2016). “On Active Services In Peace And War”, p.434, Read Books Ltd

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• There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.

  Maya Angelou

  Life Lesson, Believe, Knowing Nothing

  "The Truth in Words". Book by Neal Zero, 2005.

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• Cynicism is intellectual treason.

  Norman Cousins

  Intellectual, Literature, Treason

  "Human Options". Book by Norman Cousins, December, 1981.

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• Cynicism is humor in ill health.

  H. G. Wells

  Humor, Ill Health, Ill

  "Biography/ Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

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• Lose/Win people bury a lot of feelings. And unexpressed feelings come forth later in uglier ways. Psychosomatic illnesses often are the reincarnation of cumulative resentment, deep disappointment and disillusionment repressed by the Lose/Win mentality. Disproportionate rage or anger, overreaction to minor provocation, and cynicism are other embodiments of suppressed emotion. People who are constantly repressing, not transcending feelings toward a higher meaning find that it affects the quality of their relationships with others.

  Stephen Covey

  Disappointment, Winning, People

  Stephen R. Covey (1994). “Daily Reflections for Highly Effective People: Living THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE Every Day”, p.192, Simon and Schuster

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• Life is not an easy matter... You cannot live through it without falling into frustration and cynicism unless you have before you a great idea which raises you above personal misery, above weakness, above all kinds of perfidy and baseness.

  Leon Trotsky

  Life, Fall, Sadness

  "Trotzky's Diary in Exile - 1935". Book by Leon Trotsky, 1958.

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• Cynicism is full of naive disappointments.

  Mason Cooley

  Disappointment, Literature, Naive

  "City Aphorisms". Book by Mason Cooley, 1984.

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• I think there ought to be a club in which preachers and journalists could come together and have the sentimentalism of the one matched with the cynicism of the other. That ought to bring them pretty close to the truth.

  Reinhold Niebuhr

  Thinking, Together, Clubs

  Reinhold Niebuhr (2015). “Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics: (Library of America #263)”, p.143, Library of America

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• The worst cynicism: a belief in luck.

  Joyce Carol Oates

  Work, Luck, Belief

  1970 Do WhatYou Will, pt.2, ch.15.

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