“Cynicism is intellectual dandyism.”
George Meredith (1828–1909) British novelist and poet of the Victorian era
Source: The Egoist http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext99/egost11.txt (1879), Ch. 7.
“Intellectuals are cynical and cynics have never built a cathedral.”
As quoted in Sketchbook 1966-1971 (1971) by Max Frisch, p. 230
1970s
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Henry Kissinger50
United States Secretary of State 1923–2023Related quotes
“Cynicism is intellectual treason.”
Norman Cousins (1915–1990) American journalist
Human Options (1981)
“Cynicism is only intellectual sloth.”
Henry Rollins (1961) American singer-songwriter
Riff on life's journey blends humor, hope http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/04/02/review-henry-rollins.html, Columbus Dispatch
“Cynicism is easy. An optimist is a braver cynic.”
Colum McCann book TransAtlantic
Source: TransAtlantic
“Cynicism is cheap—you can buy it at any Monoprix store—it’s built into all poor-quality goods.”
Graham Greene book The Comedians
Pt. 1, ch. 1, sct. 3
The Comedians (1966)
Friedrich Nietzsche Untimely Meditations
§ 2.1, cited in Peter Sloterdijk, Critique of Cynical Reason (1987), p. ix
Untimely Meditations (1876)
Alex Steffen (1968) American writer and futurist
Go bright green | Review | Guardian Unlimited Books. http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2035002,00.html
“You're such a cynic," Molly said.
"I think cynics are playful and cute.”
Jim Butcher book Changes
Source: The Dresden Files, Changes (2010), Chapter 6
Context: Molly Carpenter: Wrote the Laws of Magic, founded the White Council, was custodian of one of the Swords and established a stronghold for the Council, too. He must have been something else.
Harry Dresden: He must have been a real bastard. Guys who get their name splashed all over history and folklore don't tend to be Boy Scout troop leaders.
Molly Carpenter: You're such a cynic.
Harry Dresden: I think cynics are playful and cute.
“No matter how cynical you become, it's never enough to keep up.”
Lily Tomlin (1939) American actress, comedian, writer, and producer
As Lily
Unsourced variant: No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up.
Contributions of Jane Wagner, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1985)