The employment of Cynicism as a means to infer worldliness is one of the oldest tricks in the book.  History boasts evidence to this end via numerous examples: 

 

-The gathered boulders of Stonehenge, which recall the Druid’s fantastically cynical inquiry, “How’s this for art?”  

-The sculptures of Classical Greece, with the perfect human form of the “Discus Thrower” an exercise in hyperbole that begs of athletes of the flesh, “How come you don’t look like him?” 

-The Venus de Milo, which effectively mocks the futility of limbs when juxtaposed against bear breasts. 

 

            The list goes on…

            For years, artists lacking in any inkling of original creative output have been able to cleverly conceal their shortcomings beneath a massive cloak of Cynical threads.  But the employment of Cynicism has bled beyond the confines of the artistic world into the lives of average Americans.  It is manifested in the coffee shop customer who lets out a smug chuckle at your copy of “The Da Vinci Code”, or the unbearable co-worker who rolls his eyes at the office interest in the results of last night’s episode of “American Idol”.

            What the Cynics don’t seem to understand is that they are missing out on some of the best parts of life. The “Da Vinci Code” was magnificent, and if I’m being honest, “American Idol” is the highlight of my week.  To deny oneself the pleasure of these marvels by way of Cynicism is not only foolish it’s stupid; anyone with half a brain knows that Cynicism is no longer effective. 

            The world has become so steeped in its own history of Cynical tradition that it’s become numb to its effects.  The true Cynic doesn’t exist anymore because the true Cynic is, in fact, Cynical about Cynicism.  Call it Post-Cynical Cynicism if you will.  What this means is that effective Cynicism no longer exists.  Its very existence would negate the possibility of its existence.  The one cancels the other out.  It’s done.  Passé.  Over!

            With that in mind, enjoy your reality TV driven guilty pleasures.  Indulge in the occasional Dan Brown novel, and the next time you encounter a Cynic, casually inform him that his hobby is antiquated. He’ll put up resistance, at which point you’ll direct him here, to Marqsmen.com so that he might read this entry.  The next time you see him he’ll undoubtedly claim that he wasn’t all too impressed with the site, but you’ll know better, because he’ll look fantastic in his new Rag and Bone bomber jacket! 

 

Yours truly,

Gary

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