Skepticism vs. Cynicism

Being skeptical is not the same thing as being cynical. I’m a skeptic (which is generally a good thing, or at least its not a bad thing) but I’m not a cynic (which is generally a bad thing, or at least its not a good thing).

I’m analytical, hyper-rational, linear and logical and I think this naturally plays into my skeptical nature. I’m not quick to buy into the hype, if something goes against conventional wisdom, I’m intrigued (I’m also a contrarian) but I will be slow to accept it until I see some evidence or at least understand the concept more clearly. From a faith standpoint, I have doubt. Being raised in a very conservative and somewhat legalistic home, doubts weren’t encouraged or even acknowledged most of the time. Perhaps that’s why I indulge them now or at least I’m honest about them. My skepticism could be seen as a response to being told to just trust what my parents, teachers, pastors and other adults said without examining it critically. I now feel compelled to question things to be sure they make sense before I accept them. My skepticism is not due to being disagreeable or argumentative, its simply an extension of my experiences coupled with my logical way of thinking.

But cynics are also questioners and on the surface the two look somewhat similar. Skeptics may question whether something is true but I don’t think we are quick to demonize the motives behind it and this seems like a clear difference.

My mother used to have a book lying around about the pharmaceutical industry with a title or a subtitle something like “things they don’t want you to know”. I was somewhat sympathetic because I too am skeptical of certain claims of diets and drugs but I mostly found it a little fringey and “out-there” because it was claiming that the motivations of the scientific/medical/drug community were evil and couldn’t be trusted.

There is a similar dynamic around climate change and global warming. I can understand some skepticism since I too want to understand the facts and the underlying science, but I don’t get the cynicism and how it has become such a political issue.

Cynicism can seem like it is virtuous, I mean these folks are shining a spotlight on conflicts of interest, inherent bias and fraud. They are doing society a service by calling out the charlatans and cheats. Except, in the process they advance their own agenda by calling into question the motives of their opponents. Nobody can trust anybody.

In some ways skepticism and cynicism are totally different animals but in other ways they are on the same spectrum and skeptics can easily devolve into cynics.

Then antidote is optimism and assuming positive intent, both of which are increasingly difficult to hold on to these days.

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