Yesterday I noted what I saw as an increase in cynicism on DU and wondered aloud if maybe I was not

[Atticus]

cynical enough. I said I'd have to think about that . I have.

I think we have had an excess of cynicism lately and I do not want to add to it.

Sure, everyone has a down day now and again and most of us have occasionally vented our frustration in a negative way, but constantly posting that "the sky is falling and we're all screwed" does nothing to help US and it probably just tickles the livin' crap out of THEM.

I am not at all suggesting we should not passionately discuss what we see as problems. Let's just not pretend that what we BELIEVE is what we KNOW, however well-intended that belief may be.

We have some outstanding people who are working their butts off to accomplish goals all of us share. And, I think the majority of our fellow citizens are "good people"; they are honest, decent, hardworking folks who just want a level playing field and a just society. In other words, despite how the cable shows and blogs and even some here may choose to assess our situation, there are more of us than them and we are on the right side of history.

That's how I see things.

[PortTack]

1. Well stated! The gqp want us to despair, anyone who thinks they don't look at what we write here

Think again!

[msdogi]

2. I am ever hopeful

and hopefully realistic. Yes, it important to remember there are more of us, and lots being done we don't hear about. Thank you for the reminder that cynicism is not helpful

[abqtommy]

3. I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be a cynic or curmudgeon, but there's nothing

to stop us from being cuddly too! I apply a great deal of cynicism to all things reTHUG Fascist but not to President Biden. See how that works? And that's how I see it!

[CentralMass]

4. I sm realistic. The republicans are underming the voting process in multiple was across multiple st

The Orange Anus and his enablers and minions seem to be avoid indictments and prosecution.. hehe seems to be mounting a Presidential campaign and there seems to be nothing stopping him from being the GOP's candidate in 2024.
So i hope to be proved wrong but I an not optimistic about the midterm or 2024.

[nocoincidences]

5. A friend of mine said

that when people say you are lazy or incompetent, what they really mean is:

You aren't doing it the way I want you to on the time schedule I want you to do it.

This country has been so upgefuckt for so long, thanks to tfg, that we want the Biden admin to hurry up and fix it all!

It has been one year. Give them time, and stop catastrophizing about it. Just because it hasn't happened yet does NOT mean it never will.

[chillfactor]

6. agreed.....

I have sme really down days as I am 80, disabled, live alone,and homebound. It hurts to see people so cynical because it does nothing to improve my outlook.On the other hand, there are many people fighting to improve our lives even though trumpsters keep trying to bring us down and alienatw many of the rights we all have under the Constitution. I am sure I will not live long enough to see our country be back to the common good for all. Oh dear.....guess I am being cynical as well.

[Mr.Bill]

7. Cynicism is okay.

It shows your mind is still analyzing the subject. What I don't like to hear is people giving up.

My motto? I'm just getting started.

[True Blue American]

8. Thank you for that post.

It is all too easy to listen to all the gloom and doom media hands down. My solution? Turn them off. We know most of it is made up by pundits who thrive on division!

[LakeArenal]

9. We'll, all things considered, I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

Just had a rainbow sprout up.

I think things happen slowly. It will work for some things, but won’t for others.

Frustration and anxiety are useless. So I try to not let it deep in.

[secondwind]

10. Thank you so much for posting this... it was a pleasure to read....

Sometimes, we just need to hear stuff like this.......... again, thank you.

[Towlie]

11. What??? Cynicism: the belief that human behavior is motivated primarily by self-interest.

Cynicism

[Irish_Dem]

12. For 40 yrs my job was to stay reality based.

I got paid to help people face reality.
Not make happy talk.

I respect people who have differing opinions and levels of denial.

I just am not wired to pretend.

We face the greatest threat to our democracy since the civil war.
And we have to deal with it.

[Cha]

18. I am Reality Based.. What I've

seen are negative responses with no way of knowing if it's correct or Not.

I know how bad it is with the Fascism Onslaught but I sure as hell am not going to join in any Defeatism of Game Over, Man!

The Reality is.. no one knows what's going on behind the scenes at the DOJ.. Except We Do know that they have an exponential amount of solid Evidence to Construct to make their cases Airtight.

[LakeArenal]

31. Reality is just someone's opinion.

My reality is far different than someone’s in the US

That’s the reality. Ha

[Chainfire]

13. If you are not somewhat cynical today, it is because you are not paying attention to what is

happening around you. We had a criminal for a president who still receives the support of Republican leadership, we have Nazis marching in our streets. We have armed "militias" openly training to overthrow the will of the people, we have book burnings, we are beginning to see hate as normal. We are sending right wing clowns to Washington to govern us. Is there more of us than them? It may not make a difference if Republicans have anything to do with it. Republicans see Democracy as "mob rule..."

The reason that some of us keep pounding on the negative is not because we enjoy spreading the pain, it is because we are desperately calling out for our brothers and sisters to wake up before it is too damn late. Our country is close to getting away from us. We should all be fighting mad about it.

[hay rick]

20. Being fighting mad is one thing, actually fighting back is another.

[Meowmee]

21. Well said

I am not sure what people think is going to happen if fascism takes over. It is going to make what we have already been through look like a walk in the park if that is even possible. If R take the midterms there will be no more jan 6 committee, no charges etc. And charges etc. are just the start. These people have to be actually convicted and sentenced with something other than a slap on the wrist as well.


Way over 900,000 have been murdered and where are the consequences, where is the accountability. That is the worst crime at this point.

[MyOwnPeace]

14. Hey, all! Your current 'attitude' regarding the state of things........

is all well and good - act upon it as you feel the need.

However.......

no matter how you feel right now - positive/negative/angry/hopeful - act how you feel you must - BUT.............

We MUST GET OUT THE VOTE - THAT is the only thing that will matter when it is all done. We CANNOT lose the Senate - we CANNOT lose the House.

KEEPING the House and Senate is what will allow the Democratic platform to advance - no matter how tough the fight may be. More Dems in the House will give some of 'our own' some 'wiggle-room' with issues that could be a bit 'ouchy' in their home districts. And, it goes without saying, another Dem or 2 in the Senate would indeed put Manchin and Sinema in a 'quiet little corner' where they can find happiness in their own little 'special world.'

We 'should' have the majority - the 'Wacko-World' has to be growing smaller by the day - and they already were at a SEVEN MILLION vote deficit from the last election. As more and more revelations keep coming out about TFG's crimes, we should expect that he/they can't maintain the level of support that they had in 2020.

It IS up to us - WIN the election - get on the 'right side' of history...

[usonian]

30. Amen to that!

Until recently, the maggot team owned the bats, gloves and the balls (you could argue that last item).

THE GAME IS OURS TO WIN.

Sure, when there's a lack of information, speculation fills the gap. I've been to "communication seminars" regarding the gossip and rumors. Management didn't see the information vacuum. And yes, it feels crappy to get no updates, especially when the current world is awash in clickbait nonsense, narcissism and lies.

But in this case, there are good reasons.

chillfactor, I hear you loud and clear. I am a few years younger and thank goodness, in good health, but I also live alone and far from anyone else.

I'll send some encouragement directly, but I am new here, and need to post another 15 times to use the DU mail system.

Concern for others distinguishes us from the Reptilicans. Grievance and playing the victim is their game.

Whiner or Winner?
Choose Wisely.

[DENVERPOPS]

24. Great comments.......

"Ignoring the obvious sets us up for inaction>...................is right on.

I, for one, am not sure that all comprehend the gravity of the situation that now faces our Country and our Democracy.

We are one millimeter away from a Corporate Fascist Tyranny........(and have been since election night 2020).......

I would guess that most voters in the U.S. don't even know what an "authoritarian" government is, much less what it is going to be like to live under that form of government.....

[mahina]

16. Wholeheartedly concur

Remember there’s a whole bunch of folks out there who just want us to give up and all is not as it seems.

Aloha Atticus. You are a treasure.

[Samrob]

17. Right now, reality is harsh and many among us are suffering economic hardship or despair. BUT

we must not faint in our duty to make the 2022 election another record-setting turnout for Democrats and like-minded Independents and frustrated Republicans. We can do this. We MUST do this. Jawbone all your family and friends with facts that relate to their specific situations. Tell the truth, be armed with facts about what the GOP is doing, who is behind them in their attacks against democracy. Some of my family, liberal as they are, did not clearly understand how their lives are controlled by the 2% who own most of the wealth of the world. I have found that explaining and comparing what is going on in other countries and how poorer countries are being plundered for their natural resources and how native peoples are being used for slave labor and how that impacts our environment and economy seems to get through to them. Then I use the latest news to compare what is happening here to what is happening elsewhere and it opens many eyes.

A little history of WWII for some of the young ones opens eyes and shatters some myths. I am truly amazed how little most of the last two generations do not know about history...any history. These latest moves to burn books and lying attacks on CRT is a perfect example of creeping fascism.

But none of this will matter if we don't hand our non-voting friends and family a voter registration form and tell them how to make sure they are registered and explain to them how to vote and that all candidacies matter at every level. I for one just end up telling them to vote for Democrats even if a Republican friend is running for office.

The battle for democracy as we thought it should be is far from over.

[WVreaper]

19. Well said!

If it is normal behavior, it is not news. Hopefully all of the crazies are exposing themselves to the american public. Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves!

[FoxNewsSucks]

22. We are facing the greatest threat in US history.

To pretend everything is peachy-keen would be foolish. I see a lot of posts such as you describe, and consider them warnings, wake-up calls, "OMG LOOK AT THIS" or whatever you want to call it. I don't see anyone encouraging giving up or being defeatist. Any republicon troll here trying that would be dealt with.

Also, to those who say all we have to do is simply GOTV, bullshit. That's exactly what devious republicon leaders are hoping for. They know their party is a minority. Their only way to win is lie, cheat and steal. Being complacent in the name of "no doom & gloom" plays right into their hands. They're on to the GOTV tactic, and are working to neutralize it, hoping we sit back optimistically and think GOTV alone will fix everything.

We have to vote, and those we've voted for have to take quick decisive action to save democracy.

[Atticus]

23. You want an example of "bullshit"? I do not have exact quotes, but these statements or their close

equivalents have been posted here: "Garland is doing nothing to investigate Trump"; "Trump will get away with all his crimes Scot-free"; "We will lose the House and probably the Senate in 2022 and that will mean a Trump win in 2024".

No one is saying things are "peachy-keen". No one is saying to relax or that there is no threat to democracy.

All I have said is that turning fearful speculations into definite predictions of what WILL occur may amount to self-fulfilling prophesies because they encourage a "what's the use?" attitude.

[BlackSkimmer]

25. Wow, your second thread today about cynicism.

[Atticus]

29. This is one. Please cite the other. nt

[Kingofalldems]

26. Internet GOP posters want us to give up.

[G_j]

27. It's also a spiritual crisis

I have 40,000 posts here. These days I just visit
and glean what’s going on. I have lost a lot of faith and really am not inclined to offer much input.
I don’t see the need to add more cynicism.
It’s a spiritual crisis for me, as I suspect, to some degree, it is with all if us.