Is this a good or bad thing? So, it turns out that I am an idealist. Not a big surprise for anyone who knows me, I'm sure but it often catches me off guard. Not only do I have a tendency to believe what people tell me, I believe in their good intentions and I instinctively feel that they want the best for everyone. Sometimes this turns out not to be true, and that's a difficult thing to get past. What I often find more surprising (if not as painful) is when someone doesn't share my viewpoint of a situation. Cynicism surprises me. I've been trying to think of an example to illustrate what I mean, but when I try to explain it in words it seems wrong. Still, I don't mean that I believe everything I hear or read. I understand and appreciate the necessity of skepticism and I work hard to think critically about an issue before I form an opinion. Cynicism and skepticism aren't the same thing, however, and it's the former that rocks me back on my heels. It seems like such a sad way of going through life. |