Is it odd for a teenager to become LESS cynical as they grow up?

[Froggy Slayer]

I only ask because a lot of the teenagers I know become the 'life is pain and the world is going to shit and nothing even matters in the world type', and yet I've actually become more in love with the world and in general more idealistic as I'm getting older (I'm 17, if anyone is wondering). Is this an odd thing, or is it just that negative people become like black holes and suck all of the attention upon themselves, meaning that people with a more positive outlook aren't really noticed?

 

[Karoshi]

A lot young people have this "edgy" cynicism which is supposed to show "Hey, look how grown up I am! I don't believe in anything good and our society suxxz."

As for being being idealistic: Good for you! Striving for a positive goal, having morals and being optimistic are all part of being an idealist. As you grow up try to hold on to that. Most teenagers feel as you do, but the wannabe cynics just attract far more attention and love preaching to a crowd. No wonder they are the only ones that get noticed.

 

[Keoul]

It's not weird
Teenagers are going through puberty, the moodiest time of their lives. They'll cheer up after that then fall into depression for their mid-life crisis.
All part of the plan.

 

[DoPo]

Yes, there is something wrong with you. Please, report to the nearest Teenage Watch Administration Team for immediate assistance. Your Directive for Internal Correction Keeping module seems to have failed and you would now need to do more Behavioural Intervention - Teenage Counselling Habilitation and Immersive Neurological Grounding.

 

[Quaxar]

Maybe you already hit the top cynicism level so the only way to go for you was down?

Or you're secretly getting drugged by an alien entity in an attempt to steal your bedside lamp.

 

[mechashiva77]

I'd call myself a young adult. Not quite an adult, and not quite a teenager. I'd say throughout my years I've become more of a realist with occasional cautious idealistic tendencies (can that even be a thing? It feels like it fits me the best).

I sometimes believe that a lot of teenagers go through the whole "society sux" because they're just now being exposed to injustices that they had no idea existed when they were young. As you grow up, you're not really "eased" into the full-view of society. It's kind of thrown at you like a surprise brick to the face. Some teenagers tend to go to the cynical route, while others appear to not care at all. From my experiences I'd say it's about even, but it's hard to measure this sort of thing.

 

[Zhukov]

Teenagers often act hugely cynical, either because they think it makes them look mature and insightful or because they are just plain miserable.

Then they grow up a bit, and the ones that make some kind of life for themselves (that is to say, the vast majority) realise that the world isn't that bad.

Then they get old and have a chance to experience some genuine bitterness.

 

[McMullen]

Cynicism is thought to be a sign of maturity, but it is really just immaturity plus a little bit of knowledge about the world, plus petulance that things are not the way the cynic would like them to be. Becoming less of a cynic is a sign of growing up.

 

[Woodsey]

Maybe you just went through all the moody shit earlier.

 

[Shinsei-J]

Well being a 17 year old I see a lot of my friends are getting brighter, probably because they're all odities but it's not that odd these days as kids seem to be going through there separation and individuation phases earlier. I have no idea why though.

Snippy

This guys got the facts on separation and individuation for you.

 

[Xanadu84]

We live in an age in which an electronic signal will be sent to satellites in space and back, carrying millions of points of data a second, and be perfectly decoded into a high rez image by a machine performing millions of calculations a second, so I can see a funny picture of a cat on my phone while i'm waiting for a bus. Also, we live in an age in which a mass murder or heinous crime is considered absolutely shocking and not, "Tuesday". We live in an age in which the idea of dying from a cold or a broken bone seems strange. We live in the most amazing time ever to be alive. So amazing that the only thing outpacing our advancements is our expectations. It only makes sense that as you leave a childhood where cynicism is cool, that you appreciate how good we have it, and how great the world has become.

 

[Doclector]

Probably a little unusual these days. I can't comment much from personal experience as to whether it's "natural" for people to go through that. Without spilling my life story, I didn't need to be naturally inclined to that kind of behaviour, things were pretty shitty for most of my childhood, and I reacted, well, as you'd expect; growing up a cynical, sometimes depressed bastard with a tendency towards paranoia and a shockingly low level of faith in humanity.

As to whether it's natural for that to happen? No clue. Would seem so, given the amount of people going that way at that age. But I can't see anything wrong with not having this phase, or that phase being postponed. I believe Oancitizen said that, as much as some people, the director of "melancholia" in particular, can try to glorify depression, there isn't truly an upside that's worth the crushing low.

So, I guess to summarise, it really doesn't matter whether it's odd. It's good.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

It's probably as you said, the negative people tend to attract more attention so it seems like there's more of them. At least I hope that's the case. It would certainly seem that way if you spend a lot of time on the Internet.

EDIT: Whatever the case, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Consider it a blessing.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Here's the answer from a whole bunch of entertainment products:
It's just a part of growing up and out of the whole self-centered angst period and realizing that things aren't so bad. Hell, I was myself an angsty loner in middle school, so I can speak from personal experience.

 

[White-Death]

People my age are cynical since cynicism has become ''cool'' all of a sudden for no apparent reason.A load of bloody tosh I say,those so called ''cynics'' are exactly the people who are apparently ruining this generation.Fuck me,that's a confusing sentence,hope I manage to get my point across.
Teenagers will devoutly try to do anything that is considered hip or cool or whatever.I'm not trying to paint myself as ''a real cynic stuck in a world of fake cynics'' kind of person.
Bleh,what the fuck do I know anyway.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Hmm, have you ever spent time being extremely sad for seemingly no reason? Besides from any kind of mental illness or tragic event I mean? Cos I'm sure I went through the moapy teenage years when I was 9-11. My teenage years, apart from highschool bullying, were a fucking blast! Okay they weren't, they seriously weren't, but for the most part when I was upset it could be validated by another person as something serious whereas a lot of my friends did get upset over totally trivial things.

The growing process is an unmerciful confusing ***** to say the least.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

--snipperoo

Oh no, I did have a short period of cynicism around, what, 12-13? But I've found that I've been growing much more idealistic while many of my peers are only just descending into cynicism.

 

[Vegosiux]

See, I agree that most especially adolescents are jaded and cynical simply to jump aboard the "cool and edgy" train. So I'd suppose getting less cynical is normal. It's a fad that passes.

Then you grow up and your life suddenly becomes mostly your own responsibility, and from then on it depends on both experience and how your brain is wired. I, for one, am a pretty cynical person, which does tend to aggravate others sometimes - but that doesn't mean I can't be positive or cheerful either.

Having a couple rough years makes one a bit rough around the edges and all. But it's not a permanent thing. It's a different perspective on the world, but even a cynic will still see good things in it. That is, as long as we don't go into extremes, but a healthy, moderate dose of cynicism, I say, can be a good thing.