Why cynics aren't smarter or more insightful
According to the research (+ a list for identifying cynics)
Summary
It is easy and safe to be cynical.
It is hard and vulnerable to be constructive.
See the below for how to spot a cynic.
First off, sorry that I haven’t posted in several weeks. I’ve been laid up by a terrible cold (probably walking pneumonia, but of course, I haven’t gone to the doctor yet). And I was also traveling at a conference in Baltimore last week. I’ll try to get back to several posts a week again.
The research
Often we think cynics, critics, and skeptics are smarter and more insightful. But in fact, they aren’t. We are being tricked by our biological survival systems.
Cynics and critics trigger our protective modes of thinking and acting—the survival circuits that are easier to set off (and manipulate). Their cynical thinking triggers our biological defense mechanism (probably in service of their own psychological defense mechanism).
Biologically, and therefore psychologically, it is easier to protect rather than connect. So it is also easier to be cynical rather than constructive.
Because cynical people are playing off well-developed survival reactions, we tend to think they actually are smarter, shrewder, less naive, and more insightful.
But we are giving in to the "cynical genius" belief.
In fact, cynical geniuses often do worse on “cognitive tasks, cognitive abilities and competencies tests.”
Here is the statement by the researchers:
Our results revealed that laypeople tend to endorse the "cynical genius" belief -- that is, believed that cynical individuals would do better on a variety of cognitive tasks and cognitive ability tests than their less cynical counterparts.
An examination of empirical associations between cynicism and competence based on the data of about 200,000 individuals from 30 countries debunked the "cynical genius" belief as illusionary. Cynical individuals are likely to do worse (rather than better) on cognitive tasks, cognitive abilities and competencies tests, and tend to be less educated than less cynical individuals.
200,000 people is not a small sample size for a study.
It seems the “cynical genius” intuitively knows how to leverage our tendency to protect against failure rather than risk on success (this is call “loss aversion”). So really, they have learned how to manipulate people—even if they convince themselves and others that they are really serving the people with their wisdom and insight.
And of course, social media leverages and amplifies such messages.
The truth is, it is easy and safe to be cynical.
It is vulnerable and hard to be constructive.
How to Spot Cynical Interactions
Uses persuasive speech to ridicule opponents as if it were “common knowledge”, but never actually makes the argument.
Claims an argument is naive, but doesn’t take the time to show you why, and claims it is a waste of time to do such simplistic work.
Makes vague use of some “authority” to discount others, but never shows you the details of the authority’s arguments.
Uses exaggerated word-pictures and thought-experiments to show the “aburdity” of something, but changes topics if you point out that they are comparing apples to oranges, or you ask them about the logic of their statements.
Is confident about their simplistic explanations, but when pressed claims that everyone knows life is “more complicated” and you shouldn’t be so simplistic.
What we should do
Let’s stop sharing posts that merely take the worst expression of our opponents to ridicule them so we can all know how stupid the other side it.
We should stop listening to cynics and critics who rarely offer constructive solutions, who just point to the bad ideas of others but don’t show you why, who make claims without backing them up as if it is common knowledge, and only offer platitudes when pressed for details.
For me, I rarely post against something that I disagree with just to tear it down—especially when I know it will get a big reaction (that’s being cynical). If I write a post pointing out the problems, I also try show why it is wrong, and what a better alternative is (that’s being constructive).
Remember…
Jesus didn’t come as God’s cynical, critical, or skeptical Word.
Jesus did the hard work of taking on flesh, of dwelling among us, of teaching and training, of sweating and dying, so that in all these ways we could receive the word that brings healing, hope, and life.
Thannk you Geoff. ATTACHING TO GOD WAIT LIST link
https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohort
Quieting our ANXIOUS JUNGLES and AVOIDANT DESERTS by building a SECURE Attachment to God and others.