“I hate cynicism. I wipe it from me.”
(From Kottke.) I love this quote from this Michel Gondry interview:
I hate cynicism. I wipe it from me. I don’t like cynical people. I don’t like cynical movies. Cynicism is very easy. You don’t have to justify it. You don’t have to fight for it.
I’ve seen people suggest it, but I have a hard time believing that optimism is genetic. My podcast is basically about complaining, but I remain a very optimistic person at the core, and I think it’s available to anyone. I also believe it’s gotten me most of what I have today.
FYI, you probably like Michel Gondry if you’re white.
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Filed by Julien at 5:26 am under random
A friend showed me that same link about stuff white people like. I cringed, as I’d just been expressing to him, the day before, what a great director Gondry is!
I get jealous of all his analogue animation experiments in his childhood…
Perhaps it’s realism that’s genetic.
When you believe everybody is against you, that’s realism.
When you believe they’re working together, that’s paranoia.
Another good one is - “Happiness is available. Help yourselves.” Some Zen guy.
i need to recite that quote in the mirror every workday morning before i leave for the job.
and for the record, i’m not white and i adore Michel Gondry’s work…
Actually cynicism is not easy. Whining and complaining is but real cynicism takes a higher level of intellect than just narcissism.
Some of the best revolutionaries and satirists are masters of cynicism. Their art takes very much talent and study.
I’d much rather face the truth than avoid it. How else can one evolve?
And I guarantee those cynics under totalitarian regimes have died for it many times over the course of time.
I think that idolizing cynical revolutionaries and satirists is like a photographer taking a really awe inspiring shot of a rusty nail. Just because it looks great doesn’t mean it is great. Isn’t their persona just a reflection of the conditions they exist in?
What happens to them when the issues and ideas are resolved? Do they finally find happiness, do they just become cynical about not having anything to be cynical about anymore, or does the screen fade to black and display fin.
For some reason this remind me of rappers who rap about poverty, the ghetto, and not having an equal opportunity at life who suddenly get signed and become rich. Do they fake it and try to act like they’re still ghetto? Do they sell out and let materialism consume them? Or do they walk away and refuse to change?
Maybe that’s why the recording industry likes the fakers. At least, after they make all the money, they’ll still be fake.