The Seeds of Cynicism (Cont’d)
Because Only Tyrants and Fools Peddle Concepts Like Destiny
On the subject of “justice,” Ambrose Bierce called it “a commodity which in a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.” And concerning “destiny,” Bierce observed it was “a tyrant’s authority for crime and a fool’s excuse for failure.” Notice how in both cases Bierce’s target wasn’t the idea itself but, rather, the ones with wrong motives who endorsed such foolishness. In Bierce’s worldview, then, the victims are no less guilty than the villains, because only tyrants and fools peddle concepts like “destiny,” both to their own hurt. Likewise, only the State and its citizens, who are both subject to corruptibility, buy into the fallacy that something as arbitrary as “justice” can actually be had … that is, for a price.
As such, no one is beyond the scorn or criticism of the cynical mind. Not even God. In fact, the God of The Bible is considered an even worthier target for the cynic’s contempt and ridicule, since He’s thought to be the One to blame for all of humanity’s problems. Whether it’s because He’s too callous, too barbaric, or too inept—you name it—He’s presumed guilty as charged. He is, after all, the One Who is responsible for unleashing evil upon the world, isn’t He?
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To hear Kent and Zen Garcia talk about correcting biblical misconceptions, from October 28, 2021, CLICK BELOW.
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Not only that, but the cynic adheres to an even more peculiar train of thought: If anyone fails to live up to the high calling of God, cynics don’t blame the people who fail to do so. No, it’s not those who commit acts of greed, or abuse, or betrayal, or lust, or lying, or gluttony, or laziness, or theft, or adultery, or perversion, or murder, who are seen as being guilty of sin—no, no, no, certainly not. The real culprit, declares the cynic, is God Himself.
As Bierce described it, with his signature acid wit:
By what right, then, do royal rulers rule?
Whose is the sanction of their state and pow’r?
He surely were as stubborn as a mule,
Who, God unwilling, could maintain an hour.
His uninvited session on the throne, or air,
His pride securely in the presidential chair.
Whatever is, is so by right divine;
Whate’er occurs, God wills it so. Good land!
It were a wondrous thing if His design,
A fool could baffle, or a rogue withstand!
If so, then God, I say (intending no offence)
Is guilty of contributory negligence.
The Cynic’s Word Book
Never mind that it makes no sense based on any form of logic that I’m aware of, yet there it is—century upon century, verdict upon verdict, guilt upon guilt. God is blamed for crimes He never committed, while the real culprits are judged as though they were the victims in every case.
As to why cynics the world over, proudly and defiantly, cling to such a contrary view is the primary question, among others, that we’ll focus on in the following work, where we’ll explore what I’m calling: The Joy of Cynicism and the Death of Beauty—How Your Worldview Shapes the World You Live In.
