Surviving Social Cynicism

We have food on the table. We drive nice cars. We live in an emo­tional and eth­i­cal jun­gle. The con­tra­dic­tions are there. The veneer of a high tech­nol­ogy cov­ers the real­ity of spir­i­tual and intel­lec­tual lazi­ness. In short, we live in an overly sub­jec­tive era. Some­thing is true only if I believe in it. If I don’t believe in it, then it is not true. For­get the evi­dence. Ignore legit­i­mate his­tory. Pre­tend that the only things that you want to believe are true.

Grasp­ing real­ity takes work. It is not pretty. It is not for the faint of heart. Real­ity is bloody. Life itself begins and ends in it. In between are cold hard facts. In your own per­sonal life, there are events and atti­tudes wor­thy of heaven or hell. Face them. Be hon­est if noth­ing else and before every­thing else. “Spin” is illu­sion. Stick with the real­i­ties. Sugar-coating poi­son does not keep the poi­son from its effects.

The ques­tion of the day is: “What is really going on here?” It is not the ques­tion of what I think or wish would be hap­pen­ing, but “What is truly hap­pen­ing?” The facts are beyond judg­ments. They are just out there. Please do not ask me to lie to myself about them — for doing so will cost me my soul.

“Spin” is the equiv­a­lent of suck­ing your intel­lec­tual thumb. Grow up! Tell your­self the truth. You know it. Your spir­i­tual job is to admit it. Do you need the emo­tion of clar­ity? Find your anger! There is noth­ing more enrag­ing than being lied to or lying to your­self. Anger helps you sep­a­rate the wheat from the chaff.

The truth will set you free, but it will take blood cou­pled with spir­i­tual sweat and tears to find it and admit. Of all the lying col­lec­tives do to them­selves, it is the indi­vid­ual lying to him­self or her­self that does the real dam­age. Find and admit what is really going on. Social cyn­i­cism is merely the short-cut to the lies that keep groups impris­oned. Indi­vid­ual cyn­i­cism is the insan­ity of lock­ing your­self in your own cell.