How did "Cynic" come to basically equal "Killjoy"?

[Darksteel Mike]

Well, basically what it says on the tin. I mean, to quote an easily edited/untrustable source (wikipedia,ofc): "Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature."
"They believed that the world belonged equally to everyone, and that suffering was caused by false judgments of what was valuable and by the worthless customs and conventions which surrounded society."

 

[similar.squirrel]

Because people on the Internet aren't terribly clever and want a word to describe their endless inexperienced yet incredibly presumptuous pessimism so they hijacked 'cynic'.

In a nutshell. The same goes for 'misanthrope'.

 

[Tanakh]

When does "gay" come to basically equal "homosexual"?

Language change and evolve mate. Join the party

 

[Darksteel Mike]

Seems to me that wherever this began, they were actually looking for Nihilism, not Cynicism, but were put off by the big words, as I am also dangerously close to being. *Not a philosophy major, actually pulling my weight*

 

[HerbertTheHamster]

How did fascist come to basically equal controlling?

It's just people using words they've heard in wrong context. Sometimes it sticks and everyone starts doing it.

 

[Cephei Mordred]

Because some people just can't handle anything less than good news so they shoot the messenger.

 

[Farn]

Because people on the Internet aren't terribly clever and want a word to describe their endless inexperienced yet incredibly presumptuous pessimism so they hijacked 'cynic'.

I didn't think they had the internet in the 19th century.

 

[SixWingedAsura]

Interesting...

So according to this thread, I'm a very happy Nihilist.

Awesome!

 

[JB1528]

"They believed that the world belonged equally to everyone, and that suffering was caused by false judgments of what was valuable and by the worthless customs and conventions which surrounded society."

Well shit even if my original definition of cynicism was wrong it looks like I was a cynic anyway.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Seems to me that wherever this began, they were actually looking for Nihilism, not Cynicism, but were put off by the big words, as I am also dangerously close to being. *Not a philosophy major, actually pulling my weight*

I don't think it would be Nihilism, that's a whole other kettle of fish:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
Basically someone who thinks "life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value"


Today if I called you a cynic I would mean you were focusing on all the bad things and always thinking about the worst case scenarios. That's much closer to pessimism than nihilism.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Because people on the Internet aren't terribly clever and want a word to describe their endless inexperienced yet incredibly presumptuous pessimism so they hijacked 'cynic'.

Yeah, sounds about right.

Also, being labelled a 'cynic' is what the cool kids are now doing these days.

 

[Irridium]

Because people on the Internet aren't terribly clever and want a word to describe their endless inexperienced yet incredibly presumptuous pessimism so they hijacked 'cynic'.

Yeah, this. Plus a little bit of trying too hard to be cynics because apparently they think it's the cool thing to do.

 

[Darksteel Mike]

I don't think it would be Nihilism, that's a whole other kettle of fish:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
Basically someone who thinks "life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value"


Today if I called you a cynic I would mean you were focusing on all the bad things and always thinking about the worst case scenarios. That's much closer to pessimism than nihilism.

I may have just gotten me own wires crossed there, yeah, pessimism is closer to the meaning as it is used today.

 

[FalloutJack]

How did "Cynic" come to basically equal "Killjoy"?

Basically? It didn't. Pessimists are killjoys. Cynics enjoy a realistic view of the world and don't like it when it turns sour.

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

Wow, I've learned from this thread that I'm two definitions of cynical, morally nihilistic and have a limited vocabulary! Philosophy is FUN!!!

 

[Darksteel Mike]

Cynics enjoy a realistic view of the world and don't like it when it turns sour.

Where does that slot into the original philosophy "live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. Reject conventional desires for money,power and fame and a big middle finger to posessions in general."?

EDIT:

Wow, I've learned from this thread that I'm two definitions of cynical, morally nihilistic and have a limited vocabulary! Philosophy is FUN!!!

So you're a killjoy beggar who could argue that killing isn't inherently right or wrong and says so in not so big words. Cool.

 

[Vigormortis]

Because people on the Internet aren't terribly clever and want a word to describe their endless inexperienced yet incredibly presumptuous pessimism so they hijacked 'cynic'.

I believe, too, that it is a general confusion of a "objective critique" and a "subjective opinion". Most people, in their attempt at making a review, will often just spew forth their opinions. Which are, of course, completely subjective. As such, most people view any persons review of something as opinion.

However, if by some miracle someone is able to create an objective critique of something, they are often seen as a "cynic". As if it were a bad word. This happens more often then not when someone points out flaws in something everyone else enjoys.

Of course, they could like it just as much as everyone else. God knows, there are plenty of things that are bad that I like and things that are good that I dislike. But there's the rub. It's easy to like or dislike something but it's hard to critique it based on its merits.