One of those last lines, “He must not grow cynical of himself, for then nothing remains,” really hit me. Awesome, thanks Brett!

The evil of cynicism that the author describes is the malignant (probably unconscious) impulse of the average cynic to destroy and annihilate. His cynicism is his modus operandi to this end, but it also acts to reinforce those dark motivations which point him in that direction. There is a greater theme related to this discussion I think: The wider issue of our frighteningly magnetic attraction to the destroying and corrupting side of human nature. We seem to be drawn to darkness.

I thought this as I read the author’s words about the seemingly insipid nature of loving and constructive deeds, words and attitudes, when compared to what appears to be a more powerful will to rebellion and hatred.

This is a struggle I encounter as I try to apply my Christian belief to the way I conduct my life. My desire is to follow the Way of Christ, which dictates that I must attain to the perfect love of God, in my relationships with friends, family and neighbours, and in my devotion and worship to God. However, I am plagued the belief (which comes into my head unbidden) that living my life according to my own agenda will be easier, more effective, make me more powerful and produce a better end result in the final analysis. This belief is utter delusion, but it spreads like a cancer.

When the dust settles on this inner conflict, I remember I can only rely on God’s grace to strengthen me by reminding me of the reality:
That even when it seems meek and frail on the surface, in truth, the power of love is a consuming fire. And while hatred and selfishness so often seem to tower over all, they will, in the end, result only in cold nothingness.

It is along these lines that I totally agree with the seriousness of the threat of cynicism to manliness.

*And this response is assuming the modern connotations of cynicism. The archaic meaning begs a different discussion.

Some claim that cynicism is destructive or non-productive by nature. But by what standard? One who embraces greed or materialism will surely view an opposing viewpoint as counter-productive, yet the Cynic views the “productivity” of the world as an illusion that enslaves people by motivating them to seek the validation of others through their efforts. A true Cynic would not criticize a musician but he would criticize an “entertainer” whose body of work does little to improve the human condition. Not everything that is produced is productive. A Cynic seeks to shed all things that makes a person a slave to his/her desires. Especially in this world in which people seek constant validation, it takes courage to shun popular opinion and strive to become emotionally self-sufficient. That is the true pursuit of a Cynic.

@Naka/Andrew-
The Atlantic Monthly remains a really excellent publication. I subscribe and really enjoy it–the articles aren’t quite like this, of course, but there are always some excellent and interesting ones.

I really like the line “There can be no useful and permanent building up without a clearing of the site; old foundations and debris have to be swept away.” The cynic in me tried to immediately look for an example to refute this point. I’ll definitely be re-reading this one.