Naïve cynicism

We’re all guilty of it.

Convincing ourselves that our failure—as a culture, as a nation, as a genus—is the be all end all.

That we’re done for, and there’s nothing much more we can do.

To act like we know more than most. To strike a pose. To make up more reasons for giving up than trying.

Sure, pragmatism has its pros. We need to acknowledge the worse-case scenarios to know what’s worth fighting for. But optimism, faith in the human spirit, hope in a better outcome, and the conviction that collectively—we can change this—this stuff matters more.

You can’t reach for a better scenario unless you can imagine one. And you can’t realize a better future unless you sacrifice something now to make it possible.

I think we all need to be realistic. But convincing yourself that change is impossible or that the status quo is inevitable is not practical or objective. Giving up on the world is a perversion. And it doesn’t help anyone, including you.

Better, in my opinion, to put your faith in antiquity and tribes and facts. To recognize that change is not normally distributed, it starts small and, over time, it swells and catches on, infecting the rest of the group. Change is hard, but it’s not impossible, or improbable.

We owe it to ourselves and our kids and theirs’ to make the best of our time on this planet. Or, at the very least, make the absolute best of the way things turn out.

Hat tip to Rebecca Solnit.