“Cynicism is often seen as a rebellious attitude in western popular culture, but in reality, our cynicism advances the desires of the powerful: cynicism is obedience.”
Go bright green | Review | Guardian Unlimited Books. http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2035002,00.html
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Alex Steffen11
American writer and futurist 1968Related quotes
“Cynicism is easy. An optimist is a braver cynic.”
Colum McCann book TransAtlantic
Source: TransAtlantic
Friedrich Nietzsche Untimely Meditations
§ 2.1, cited in Peter Sloterdijk, Critique of Cynical Reason (1987), p. ix
Untimely Meditations (1876)
“Intellectuals are cynical and cynics have never built a cathedral.”
Henry Kissinger (1923–2023) United States Secretary of State
As quoted in Sketchbook 1966-1971 (1971) by Max Frisch, p. 230
1970s
“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.
“You are a cynical man, Mr. Pleasant."
"We live in cynical times, Miss Cain.”
Derek Landy (1974) Irish children's writer
Source: Death Bringer
John Updike book Rabbit Redux
"Just middle-aged. Ideas used to grab me too. It's not that you get better ideas, the old ones just get tired. After a while, you see that even dollars and cents are just an idea. Finally the only thing that matters is putting some turds in the toilet bowl once a day. They stay real, somehow. Somebody came up to me and said, 'I'm God,' I'd say, 'Show me your badge.'"
Rabbit Redux (1969)