Cynicism

MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series

By: Ansgar Allen

Narrated by: Nigel Patterson

Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Everyone's a cynic, yet few will admit it. Today's cynics excuse themselves half-heartedly - "I hate to be a cynic, but...." - before making their pronouncements. Narrowly opportunistic, always on the take, contemporary cynicism has nothing positive to contribute. The Cynicism of the ancient Greeks, however, was very different. Bold and shameless, it was committed to transforming the values on which civilization depends. In this volume of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Ansgar Allen charts the long history of cynicism, from the "fearless speech" of Greek Cynics in the fourth century BCE to the contemporary cynic's lack of social and political convictions.

Allen describes ancient Cynicism as an improvised philosophy and a way of life disposed to scandalize contemporaries, subjecting their cultural commitments to derision. He chronicles the subsequent "purification" of Cynicism by the Stoics; Renaissance and Enlightenment appropriations of Cynicism; and the transition from Cynicism (the philosophy) to cynicism (the modern attitude), exploring contemporary cynicism from the perspectives of its leftist, liberal, and conservative critics. Finally, he considers the possibility of a radical cynicism that admits and affirms the danger it poses to contemporary society.

©2020 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (P)2020 Gildan Media

So good until it gets to the 20th and 21st ce

The writer conveniently glosses over the 20th and 21st ce global and social/cultural events that have exponentially increased apathy. Context is important in understanding contemporary mutations of ‘cynicism.’

Has the author seen the logical end point of the enlightenment? Rousseau was right

Entertaining

An interesting discussion of ancient Cynicism and modern small c cynicism and what the ancient concept of Cynicism might look like if practiced today

revival of classical cycism

this book could turn into a movement if the classical Greek cynics exercises and principles are taken to heart. I know they won me over

Enjoyable

A very enjoyable and illuminating study.

However...

Once the author gets to the 21st century, he has a hard time parsing classical Cynicism with the spectatorial "common sense" cynical reflexive posing used by bourgeoisie and their middle class transmission-belts in electoral politics, editorial pages, and education factories.

Contemporary cynical poses are never held for long by those employing the mode: the dictatorship of capital has space and patience for most methods of blowing-off steam, until a method finds a mass echo in the working class; then the funtimes must be carefully walked-back.

An example: "The Daily Show" for years heaped ridicule on Bush-Cheney. But when they needed to shift gears to celebrate the "genius of the system" that we should all truly be grateful for, they could always roll out Senator McCain.

JR