[extropy-chat] Robin Hanson on Cynicism

[Hal Finney]

Robin Hanson has an interesting essay up at
http://hanson.gmu.edu/metacynic.html , "The Cynic's Conundrum."

He writes about cynicism, the predisposition to explain human behavior
in terms of "low", selfish and manipulative motives.  This leads
to something of a paradox, when we ask whether cynics practicing
cynicism are themselves behaving in a selfish and manipulative way.
Is cynicism itself suitable for criticism from the cynical perspective?

One theory is yes, that cynics are, in a word, losers.  They have adopted
cynicism in order to bring down their betters rather than face up to
their own limitations.

Or alternatively, are cynics exceptions to the rule, are they high-minded
idealists who righteously strip away the curtains of deception among
their fellows, courageously bearing the burden of contempt and distaste
which society directs towards cynics?

To be consistent, cynics ought to be cynical about cynicism.  But this
makes them look bad and makes their cynical criticism less effective.
Further, if the cynical view of cynicism is correct, it would also impair
their efforts to make themselves look better by making everyone else
look worse.

The conclusion I draw is perhaps a little different from Robin's,
which is that cynicism itself is the one thing that cynics should not
be publicly cynical about, otherwise they undercut their own criticism
(which would then descend into nihilism).  And of course this does open
up an effective riposte by members of society stung by cynical criticism:
to challenge the cynic to take a look in the mirror and see if his own
high-sounding criticisms are really as brave and idealistic as he claims.

Hal Finney