WE MUST NOT COMPLICATE OUR LIVES, AND ENJOY THE SIMPLE GIFTS FROM GOD

I recently read an article on a celebrity wedding, full of self- opinionated disrespect. It initiated my contemplation on the cynics of the world. Cynics often come across as derisive, insolent, and condescending. Consequently, they miss out on spontaneous relationships and friendships. Cynicism can be manifested with pessimism, leading to social disengagement and negative contributions to the public domain. The line between cynicism and accurate observation can be very fine, and it is often expedient to dismiss objectivity as cynicism.

An antithesis of cynicism include trust, faith, credulity, and naiveté, which refers to lack of experience or understanding, often accompanied by dreamy optimism or idealism. Without being naive, we can strike a balance and make life a little simple.

In ancient Greek philosophy, cynicism had a totally different meaning. Cynics were logical people, who lived ascetically without any desire for wealth or fame. A famous anecdote about Diogenes, a proponent of cynicism, talks about how Diogenes was abused by the public. He was called a dog and spat on his face. But instead of taking offence, he took pride and said that human beings had much to learn from the simplicity and artlessness of dogs, which, unlike human beings, had not “complicated every simple gift of the gods.” We must go back to its original connotations.