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imomusI've made quite a few passing references to "moronic cynicism", but never really defined what I mean by the term. Perhaps it's self-explanatory, but just in case it isn't, here are my Notes towards a definition of "moronic cynicism".
Moronic cynicism is a form of naivete. It's naivete turned inside out, naivete with a sneer. Imagine a child smoking a cigarette.
The girl on the left is not a moronic cynic.
Moronic cynics wonder why the girl's T shirt doesn't say "Hate" or "Cocaine" or "Fuck" or have a dead person's skull on it.
The moronic cynic uses cynicism as a way to prepare for the worst. The worst consequently arrives.
To be cynical is to be on the side of the worst, to think with its logic and to see with its eyes.
For the moronic cynic (and the shareholder) the bottom line is always money.
Moronic cynic, you will become the monster you claim to fight!
Passive aggression, self-destructiveness and negative capability are close cousins to moronic cynicism.
Moronic cynicism is still believing that there's a big simple thing called truth, then saying "They're lying to us!"
Moronic cynicism is splitting up with someone then sending 100 pizzas to their house rather than staying friends.
Moronic cynicism is telling the tale to your pals on a bulletin board and getting lots of applause for your malice.
"You should have kicked her in the teeth while you were at it!"
Moronic cynicism is taking a vaguely "No Logo" stance towards capitalism, but then working for a big marketing company, exacting your revenge on "the Man" and "the System" by frittering away your working hours on the internet and, when you're finally and understandably fired, stealing something.
"You should have set the place on fire!" say your pals on the bulletin board.
Moronic cynicism is attacking both the consumers and the companies that supply their needs. "Wake up!" you scream to people who are already awake, thank you very much!
Moronic cynicism is seeing the entire people, government and institutions of a nation as possessing some kind of "original sin".
Moronic cynicism is joining the mosque and carrying the bomb in your backpack because the world is evil.
Moronic cynicism is intervening in a contract because you think you understand the real needs of the participants better than they do themselves.
Moronic cynicism is thinking it's wrong to say bad stuff about women, but fine to say bad stuff about men.
Moronic cynicism is telling women of another culture that they're "exploited" because they're not as cynical as you are, and then finding yourself stereotyping them with words like "compliant" and "submissive" and "cute".
Hey, you're saying worse things about them than anybody in their culture does, and you still want them to be grateful for your advice?
Moronic cynicism wonders why the phone never rings.
The girl on the right is not a moronic cynic.
Moronic cynicism is "enlightened false consciousness" as outlined by Peter Sloterdijk: "that modernized, unhappy consciousness, on which enlightenment has labored both successfully and in vain. It has learned its lessons in enlightenment, but it has not, and probably was not able to, put them into practice. Well-off and miserable at the same time, this consciousness no longer feels affected by any critique of ideology; its falseness is already reflexively buffered... To act against better knowledge is today the global situation in the superstructure; it knows itself to be without illusions and yet to have been dragged down by the "power of things." Thus what is regarded in logic as a paradox and in literature as a joke appears in reality as the actual state of affairs. Thus emerges a new attitude of consciousness toward "objectivity." Peter Sloterdijk. Critique of Cynical Reason, University of Minnesota Press, 1987.
Moronic cynicism is thinking "empowerment" is acting on your own behalf rather than on the behalf of others.
Moronic cynicism is the narcissistic mindset of a fragmented individual in a culture where all individuals resemble each other, and everybody is secretly miserable.
Moronic cynicism is the secular version of Protestant "worldly asceticism". Hold back from the world, young puritan, for it is evil!
The moronic cynic flexes his muscles by criticizing marketing, then becomes a marketer himself. "I am evil," he says, and hates himself. His hate spreads out from the centre, from his wretched self-loathing, and becomes a concentric series of vicious circles, a whirlpool of pointless negativity.
The moronic cynic's pleasures are always guilty pleasures.
The moronic cynic cannot stand innocence because it reminds him of himself. He pisses on it as soon as he sees it.
The moronic cynic believed Michael Jackson was guilty all along. Of course! He would have corrupted those kids in the same situation.
The moronic cynic is not attracted to things because they are beautiful, but because they are forbidden.
The moronic cynic believes that [insert name of endangered species here] are already extinct and feels slightly disappointed to hear that populations are rising.
The moronic cynic would find the wholesomeness of this blog completely disgusting.
The moronic cynic suddenly falls in love one day with someone who isn't cynical at all.
The opposite of moronic cynicism is love.
Moronic cynicism is a form of naivete. It's naivete turned inside out, naivete with a sneer. Imagine a child smoking a cigarette.
The girl on the left is not a moronic cynic.Moronic cynics wonder why the girl's T shirt doesn't say "Hate" or "Cocaine" or "Fuck" or have a dead person's skull on it.
The moronic cynic uses cynicism as a way to prepare for the worst. The worst consequently arrives.
To be cynical is to be on the side of the worst, to think with its logic and to see with its eyes.
For the moronic cynic (and the shareholder) the bottom line is always money.
Moronic cynic, you will become the monster you claim to fight!
Passive aggression, self-destructiveness and negative capability are close cousins to moronic cynicism.
Moronic cynicism is still believing that there's a big simple thing called truth, then saying "They're lying to us!"
Moronic cynicism is splitting up with someone then sending 100 pizzas to their house rather than staying friends.
Moronic cynicism is telling the tale to your pals on a bulletin board and getting lots of applause for your malice.
"You should have kicked her in the teeth while you were at it!"
Moronic cynicism is taking a vaguely "No Logo" stance towards capitalism, but then working for a big marketing company, exacting your revenge on "the Man" and "the System" by frittering away your working hours on the internet and, when you're finally and understandably fired, stealing something.
"You should have set the place on fire!" say your pals on the bulletin board.
Moronic cynicism is attacking both the consumers and the companies that supply their needs. "Wake up!" you scream to people who are already awake, thank you very much!
Moronic cynicism is seeing the entire people, government and institutions of a nation as possessing some kind of "original sin".
Moronic cynicism is joining the mosque and carrying the bomb in your backpack because the world is evil.
Moronic cynicism is intervening in a contract because you think you understand the real needs of the participants better than they do themselves.
Moronic cynicism is thinking it's wrong to say bad stuff about women, but fine to say bad stuff about men.
Moronic cynicism is telling women of another culture that they're "exploited" because they're not as cynical as you are, and then finding yourself stereotyping them with words like "compliant" and "submissive" and "cute".
Hey, you're saying worse things about them than anybody in their culture does, and you still want them to be grateful for your advice?
Moronic cynicism wonders why the phone never rings.
The girl on the right is not a moronic cynic.
Moronic cynicism is "enlightened false consciousness" as outlined by Peter Sloterdijk: "that modernized, unhappy consciousness, on which enlightenment has labored both successfully and in vain. It has learned its lessons in enlightenment, but it has not, and probably was not able to, put them into practice. Well-off and miserable at the same time, this consciousness no longer feels affected by any critique of ideology; its falseness is already reflexively buffered... To act against better knowledge is today the global situation in the superstructure; it knows itself to be without illusions and yet to have been dragged down by the "power of things." Thus what is regarded in logic as a paradox and in literature as a joke appears in reality as the actual state of affairs. Thus emerges a new attitude of consciousness toward "objectivity." Peter Sloterdijk. Critique of Cynical Reason, University of Minnesota Press, 1987.
Moronic cynicism is thinking "empowerment" is acting on your own behalf rather than on the behalf of others.
Moronic cynicism is the narcissistic mindset of a fragmented individual in a culture where all individuals resemble each other, and everybody is secretly miserable.
Moronic cynicism is the secular version of Protestant "worldly asceticism". Hold back from the world, young puritan, for it is evil!
The moronic cynic flexes his muscles by criticizing marketing, then becomes a marketer himself. "I am evil," he says, and hates himself. His hate spreads out from the centre, from his wretched self-loathing, and becomes a concentric series of vicious circles, a whirlpool of pointless negativity.
The moronic cynic's pleasures are always guilty pleasures.
The moronic cynic cannot stand innocence because it reminds him of himself. He pisses on it as soon as he sees it.
The moronic cynic believed Michael Jackson was guilty all along. Of course! He would have corrupted those kids in the same situation.
The moronic cynic is not attracted to things because they are beautiful, but because they are forbidden.
The moronic cynic believes that [insert name of endangered species here] are already extinct and feels slightly disappointed to hear that populations are rising.
The moronic cynic would find the wholesomeness of this blog completely disgusting.
The moronic cynic suddenly falls in love one day with someone who isn't cynical at all.
The opposite of moronic cynicism is love.
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-07-14 03:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-07-14 03:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-07-14 03:35 pm (UTC);-)
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Date: 2005-07-14 07:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-07-14 11:17 pm (UTC)Ha!
Date: 2005-07-15 02:07 pm (UTC)I thought a lot about this post over the last day, and as I thought it was wonderful when I first read it, I still feel the same, and am glad so many people have responded. That said, I see the multi-tiered irony in calling it "moronic", but I still say that irony IS insulting and might turn a lot of people off from the central message.
My sending this link to a friend in an attempt to help her see outside of her adolescent predicament (I don't mean that as a cut, I find it rather sweet, actually, and she is quite brilliant so I want to see her being productive rather than lamenting) did just that, and I'm afraid she's mad at me. You're right, LJ is a sensitive beast which magnifies EVERYTHING TO THE POINT OF MADNESS and I'm developing a new tumor called xenophobia because of it.