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+--- Thread: The allure of cynicism (/showthread.php?tid=18147)
The allure of cynicism - 888 - 04-13-2020
One of my blockages in polarizing positively is that being all sweet and filled with love and light doesn't feel 'cool.' At times, it feels corny, even pathetic. It feels like being some hippie cliche. This might sound silly, but it's something part of me honestly feels that I want to balance.
On a superficial level, polarizing positively feels at odds with the cynicism and nihilism that the last few generations tend to associate with hipness, world weariness, transcendence. This might seem shallow, but it does make me feel more alienated from most other 20-somethings.
On another level, maybe this aversion to feeling overly gushy in embodying positivity is a distorted attempt to balance compassion with wisdom. Balancing the 'gullibility and naivete' that Ra described as being 'characteristic of those who love wholeheartedly' might be important work for some entities. That naivete might go hand in hand with that gushiness.
Do any of you ever feel like all the positivity seems too fluffy and overly sentimental? How do you get over this?
RE: The allure of cynicism - Foha - 04-13-2020
Positivity and loving everyone isn't always rainbows and sunshine.
I hear marriage and relationships take real work. I say I hear because I can't say from my current human experience.
Serving others even when knowing they are taking it for granted can be disheartening.
Giving unconditional love can be grueling and difficult sometimes. It can take a lot out of me sometimes, anyway.
For me, being positive isn't always assuming the best in someone. Instead, sometimes its knowing they very likely are broken and flawed in horrible ways and relating to them at some level.
Instead of disappointment, I try to find reasons why I can place my faith that they will overcome that blockage to who they can truly be.
To see someone being petty and to say "Aha, I see myself in that person" is a very humbling experience. To know that deep down I could have been that petty, or I very well could find myself that petty in the near future due to circumstances I can't foresee.
To extend a hand to a cruel one can be difficult and trying -- but ultimately I have always found it to be rewarding in some way. For me, or for them, considering the both of us there is always a net gain.
RE: The allure of cynicism - RitaJC - 04-13-2020
STO polarized experience has never been sweet and fluffy for me, and not even like "embodying positivity".
It's just a peaceful observation of reality, including the whole emotional spectrum of this and other selves.
In my experience, unconditional love is a choice to see the Creator in every illusory expression of it, not a fluffy feeling.
RE: The allure of cynicism - Foha - 04-13-2020
I hope I'm not misinterpreting your questioning, 888, but I find it very similar to the frustratingly complex word 'love'.
It can mean so many very different things in just the English language. I struggled for a long time understanding what love is and how to love because of its confusing usage.
It's interesting to me how language itself can often be a boundary to understanding things.
I found the book by Ken Wilber, "No Boundaries", to be really enlightening
*edit*:
I still am struggling, by the way
RE: The allure of cynicism - sillypumpkins - 04-13-2020
to me, positive polarity is not about "rainbows and sunshine".... its about acceptance, and viewing your experience through the lens of equanimity..
that is just me. hope it helps
RE: The allure of cynicism - juleszz - 04-13-2020
Polarizing positively is not at odds with being cynical. Accurate cynicism is accurate assessment of distortions affecting behaviour. Inaccurate cynicism is a distortion we can try and overcome.
StO is understanding that we all have, as Ra would say, distortions pulling us in different directions that sometimes we can struggle to behave as we truly desire. Understand that our and others behaviour is shaped by these distortions and look to find love for the soul trying their best inside. We can do this by empathizing with others, walking in their shoes and trying to share their distortions. Once we take the effort to attempt and to see the struggle that other selves go through, it's hard to feel anything but love for their bravery to struggle to improve. No matter how ghastly the behaviour has been. I have a feeling we might about to be exposed to some, it will be a good opportunity for growth.
RE: The allure of cynicism - Diana - 04-13-2020
(04-13-2020, 12:09 AM)888 Wrote: One of my blockages in polarizing positively is that being all sweet and filled with love and light doesn't feel 'cool.' At times, it feels corny, even pathetic. It feels like being some hippie cliche. This might sound silly, but it's something part of me honestly feels that I want to balance.
On a superficial level, polarizing positively feels at odds with the cynicism and nihilism that the last few generations tend to associate with hipness, world weariness, transcendence. This might seem shallow, but it does make me feel more alienated from most other 20-somethings.
On another level, maybe this aversion to feeling overly gushy in embodying positivity is a distorted attempt to balance compassion with wisdom. Balancing the 'gullibility and naivete' that Ra described as being 'characteristic of those who love wholeheartedly' might be important work for some entities. That naivete might go hand in hand with that gushiness.
Do any of you ever feel like all the positivity seems too fluffy and overly sentimental? How do you get over this?
As I see it, acceptance doesn't come because you gush love and rainbows and try to stay positive all the time (or do so because of a belief system); acceptance comes of accepting what is and working from there. The first thing involved with true acceptance is to think for yourself, from which follows having true feelings. Many so-called positive people are just doing what they think they should be doing. Cynicism is natural given the environment we must work within, but I agree that cynicism is a sign of imbalance too.
I struggle with this as well. I am not a follower, so I always think things out for myself; I don't follow anyone else's views, not even my own, as I know my awareness will evolve. I accept this reality because it is what it is. But there is a way to accept yet not agree with, or accept and not align with, a system. An integral part of this is not caring what anyone else thinks (and by this I mean not just following someone or something else's thinking; and I don't mean not paying attention to catalyst), which derives from being your own authority. From there, develop detachment; in other words, have no attachment to outcome, but still do whatever you are here to do.
RE: The allure of cynicism - flofrog - 04-13-2020
I often feel fluffy but I am old and have seen a lot of lovely things along all the sorrow and struggle and now it’s hard to feel otherwise
I think in my old case it’s gratitude mzinly