Generation Cynical

Accuracy in Academia ^ | November 6, 2009 | Sarah Carlsruh

[bs9021]

Generation Cynical

Sarah Carlsruh, November 6, 2009

“Cynicism exists. It’s toxic,” said Michael Josephson at an October 29th presentation on “High School Character” at the National Press Club. Josephson is president of the Josephson Institute of Ethics (JIE), which recently released its study on the link between high school attitudes and subsequent adult conduct.

In its study, the Institute found that “younger generations are significantly more likely to engage in all forms of dishonest conduct than those who are older.” This raises the question, is the study measuring the increasing moral degradation of society or simply the fact that older people are more mature than younger people? Perhaps the surveyed youth will outgrow their ethical deficiencies.

Yet, Josephson claimed that a “disease of cynicism has infected our youth.” Cynicism, which the study defines as “the belief that lying and cheating are…necessary to success,” not surprisingly consistently predicts dishonest behavior. He argued that this “character formed in high school matters,” because those attitudes shape a person’s lifelong moral codes.

The study shows through statistical analysis that “high school character matters”—“People who cheated on exams in high school two or more times are considerably more likely to be dishonest later in life on all major measures.” This reveals that the cynical youth of this generation are, in fact, likely to be the cynical “next generation of nuclear inspectors, of politicians,” Josephson stated. The Institute’s Press Release revealed that “compared to those who never cheated in high school, high school cheaters” are:

* “three times more likely to lie to a customer,”

* “twice as likely to lie to or deceive their boss,” and

* “one-and-a-half times more likely to lie to a spouse or significant other.”

...

[wombtotomb]

Its not cynicism, its moral relativism, and it began when the “as long as I am not hurting anybody, its ok” mentality replaced the 10 commandments mentality in our schools.

Moral relativism is the culprit here, and it was pushed by the same folks who helped satan convince the world he doesn’t exist, nor does hell, and there are no repercussions to sin. If it feels good, do it........

[Nuc1]

Correct.

[Flycatcher]

Good point.

Moral relativism discourages one from probing the waters of deep faith. In fact, moral relativism discourages any sort of intellectual or spiritual depth at all in any matter of ethical importance.

The not unexpected result? Cynicism... which is the craven surrender to the superficial.

[RayTheSpook]

Actually it maybe better phrased “skepticism” which means that a person doesn’t 100% doubt everything but also doesn’t 100% buy into everything as well, most decent science that makes it possible for you to drive a car or fly a plane has to do with “skepticism”, it maybe also relative depending on time and place the same way gravity functions differently on different objects in space, it also explains how we revolve aorund the sun rather than being stationary and flat, I didn’t invent these basic notions I just follow them the same as one might follow the second law of therodynamics!

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I believe that cynicism is *not* toxic, because it does *not* emerge in a vacuum. It is *not* the cause of the problem, it is a symptom of problems that are far more serious than cynicism.

A good example are parents so opposed to the idea of competition that they prohibit the keeping of scores at their children’s softball game. Their children reject this, because they *want* performance standards, and “cynically” keep score in their heads, which they share with each other, later.

Parents and teachers don’t want their children to eat junk food, so they try and keep it away from them at school. Yet their children “cynically” defeat this idea by one of them buying it on his own, and selling it, at a markup, to their classmates at school.

It goes on and on. Teachers who compromise tests, so that failing students can pass, while at the same time diminishing the success of the good students. Of course this builds resentment and cynicism.

Mandatory “niceness” education sets students against each other, instead of bringing them together, which it was “supposed” to do. By being “cynical” about this, the children are actually *rejecting* reprehensible ideas by their teachers.

For example, forcing non-black students to attend “black history month” events, with the idea of “making” them “appreciate” black history.

What it accomplishes in reality is first, to segregate black students. Second, to point out to others that black students are “different” from them. And third, that other students should resent black students because they are officially to be treated differently.

For students to be completely cynical about this is a profoundly good thing. To be cynical means that they are rejecting segregation, that the color of the black students’ skin isn’t important, and most importantly, that they should not be treated differently because of their race.

So, three cheers for cynicism. Cynicism is a reaction to political correctness, to racism and sexism, to socialism and those who abuse their offices for unethical ends.

And most of all, cynicism is a rejection of those who are too dumb to be cynical, and their dumb ideas.

[OneWingedShark]

So, people that cheat in High School (and College) are more likely to become politicians?
This explains Biden and his plagiarism.