Explore a collection of the most beloved and motivational quotes and sayings about Cynicism. Share these powerful messages with your loved ones on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or on your personal blog, and inspire the world with their wisdom. We've compiled the Top 100 Cynicism Quotes and Sayings from 92 influential authors, including Anita Roddick,Henry Rollins,Stephen Colbert,Matt Taibbi,Chris Hadfield, for you to enjoy and share.

Cynicism is what passes for insight when courage is lacking. By Anita Roddick Cynicism Lacking Passes Insight Courage

Cynicism is only intellectual sloth. By Henry Rollins Cynicism Sloth Intellectual

Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don't learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. By Stephen Colbert Wisdom Masquerades Farthest Thing Cynicism

I get the cynicism thing all the time, although I don't really know where that comes from, because I think I'm actually the opposite of a cynic. By Matt Taibbi Time Cynic Cynicism Thing Opposite

Cynicism is the easiest of all reactions, right? But it's also so disappointing and self-defeating. By Chris Hadfield Cynicism Reactions Easiest Selfdefeating Disappointing

Cynicism stems from disappointment. Cynical and faithless people were not always like that. They were filled with possibilities and hope as kids. But they tried and perhaps failed. By Robin S. Sharma Cynicism Disappointment Stems Cynical Kids

Cynicism is extremely contagious, and the most pious among us cannot long endure its potency. The gullible should be on their guard, however, since this endearing quality frequently masquerades as wit. By Mike Corbett Cynicism Contagious Potency Extremely Pious

A cynic is a frustrated idealist. By Al Ruksenas Idealist Cynic Frustrated

"Cynicism," like "heresy" and "heterodoxy" and "atheism" and "agnosticism" and "paganism" and "heathenism," is above all else a way for organized orthodoxy's caste of official censors to encyst and segregate and thus neutralize all contrarian forms of seeing and thinking, all (necessarily implicitly) prohibited and repressed ways of exercising disruptive and iconoclastic intuition and intellection (for to analyze and explain these things too openly is to give them publicity and potential cogency when the point is to asphyxiate them). By Kenny Smith Cynicism Heresy Heterodoxy Atheism Agnosticism

The worst cynicism: a belief in luck. By Joyce Carol Oates Cynicism Luck Worst Belief

Cynicism is tough. A cynic's point of view is really pitiful. I derive pleasure out of a lot of things in life. As long as I'm fairly healthy, it's hard to stay dismal for very long. By Shawn Colvin Cynicism Tough Long Pitiful Life

Cynicism is easy. An optimist is a braver cynic. By Colum Mccann Cynicism Easy Cynic Optimist Braver

Hypocrisy is the outside of cynicism. By Mason Cooley Hypocrisy Cynicism

Never confuse cynicism for intelligence. By Ahmed Al-Sheikh Intelligence Confuse Cynicism

Cynicism is kind of like folding your arms and stepping back and commenting on things, like the old guys in 'The Muppets,' just throwing out comments all the time, whereas there are other people on the ground really trying to affect things and improve their lives and the lives of other people. I think it's noble and I think it's cool. By Josh Radnor Muppets People Things Lives Cynicism

Cynicism is the besetting and venial fault of declining youth, and disillusionment its last illusion. By Francis Macdonald Cornford Cynicism Youth Illusion Besetting Venial

Cynicism is when a small mind and a hurt heart rejects the hope, love, and truth of a big and caring God. By Jayce O'neal Love God Cynicism Hope Small

Cynic' is a word invented by optimists to criticize realists. By Gregory Benford Cynic Realists Word Invented Optimists

I think I hate cynicism more than anything else. It's the curse of our age, and I want to avoid it at all costs. By Paul Auster Hate Cynicism Age Costs Curse

Faith in life, in oneself, in others must be built on the hard rock of realism; that is to say, on the capacity to see evil where it is, to see swindle, destructiveness, and selfishness not only when they are obvious but in their many disguises and rationalizations. Indeed, faith, love, and hope must go together with such a passion for seeing reality in all its nakedness that the outsider would be prone to call the attitude 'cynicism.' And cynical it is, when we mean by it the refusal to be taken in by the sweet and plausible lies that cover almost everything that is said and believed. But this kind of cynicism is not cynicism; it is uncompromisingly critical, a refusal to play the game in a system of deception. By Erich Fromm Faith Destructiveness Life Oneself Realism

Cynicism is one of the terrible obstacles to progress. By Bryant Mcgill Cynicism Progress Terrible Obstacles

Cynicism makes you feel smart, I know it, even when you aren't smart. By Richard Ford Smart Cynicism Makes Feel

Scratch the surface of most cynics and you find a frustrated idealist - someone who made the mistake of converting his ideals into expectations. By Peter M. Senge Scratch Idealist Expectations Surface Cynics

The opposite of creativity is cynicism By Esa Saarinen Cynicism Opposite Creativity

Among a coward's weapons, cynicism is the nastiest of all By Tracy Kidder Weapons Cynicism Coward Nastiest

Cynicism is more than a pose; it's also a handy time saver. By deflating your companion's enthusiasm, you can cut conversations in half. By Lisa Birnbach Cynicism Pose Saver Handy Time

Cynics criticize, and winners analyze By Robert T. Kiyosaki Cynics Criticize Analyze Winners

My whole life has been about confronting cynicism. By Cory Booker Cynicism Life Confronting

Cynicism is the last refuge of those who don't want to do the work of creating a better society. By Robert Reich Cynicism Society Refuge Work Creating

There's something I believe wholeheartedly: Cynicism is the true refuge of the pseudo-intellectual, .. Cynicism is easy. Joy is an extremely advanced spiritual and intellectual tenet. By Craig Ferguson Cynicism Wholeheartedly Pseudointellectual True Refuge

A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past; he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future. By Sydney J. Harris Past Future Cynic Reads Bitter

Cynicism is the only tool that can scrape away the tint off rose-coloured glasses. By Taona Dumisani Chiveneko Cynicism Glasses Tool Scrape Tint

I think we too often make choices based on the safety of cynicism, and what we're lead to is a life not fully lived. Cynicism is fear, and it's worse than fear - it's active disengagement. By Ken Burns Lived Fear Cynicism Make Choices

I think that cynicism can often be mistaken for wisdom. By Sarah Polley Wisdom Cynicism Mistaken

Cynicism's always a pose - always. By Grace S. Richmond Cynicism Pose

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. By George Bernard Shaw Power Accurate Observation Commonly Called

I have a lot of friends that take that position of extreme cynicism, and I just can't let myself go to that place. It's just too easy, and it's just too defeatist. By Conor Oberst Cynicism Place Lot Friends Position

To paraphrase Antonio Gramsci, cynicism of intellect; promise of the present. By Bill Grigsby Gramsci Antonio Cynicism Intellect Promise

Cynicism can be funny. But it's the easy way. You'll forget to enjoy anything. I try to make the evolving choice, the forward-moving, life-giving choice. Just keep living, man. By Matthew Mcconaughey Cynicism Funny Choice Man Easy

Cynicism is the largest obstacle to social change. Cynicism is dangerous because people throw up their hands and say, "Well it's not possible. Why should I even try?" By Robert Reich Cynicism Change Largest Obstacle Social

Cynicism is a choice, and hope is a better choice. By Barack Obama Choice Cynicism Hope

Scepticism, that dry caries of the intelligence. By Victor Hugo Scepticism Intelligence Dry Caries

Don't confuse my point of view with cynicism. The real cynics are the ones who tell you that everything's gonna be all right. By George Carlin Cynicism Confuse Point View Real

The ultimate cynicism is to suspend judgment so that you are not judged. By Marya Mannes Judged Ultimate Cynicism Suspend Judgment

Cynicism is a choice. Optimism is a better choice. By Shonda Rhimes Choice Cynicism Optimism

Cynicism was a one-way path, and once taken the way back was lost forever. By Chris Wooding Cynicism Path Forever Oneway Back

I have a very low regard for cynics. I think it's the beginning of dying. By Robert Redford Cynics Low Regard Dying Beginning

Cynicism always comes clothed in "realism". The alternatives to begin with an act of imagination. Can we imagine another way? By Walter Brueggemann Realism Cynicism Clothed Imagination Alternatives

The cynic suffers the form of faith without love. Incredulity is his piety. By James Richardson Love Cynic Suffers Form Faith

The cynic makes fun of all earnestness; he makes fun of everything and everyone who feels that something can be done ... But in his heart of hearts he knows that he is a defeated man and that his cynicism is merely an expression of the fact that he has lost courage and is beaten. By George Edgar Vincent Fun Makes Earnestness Cynic Feels

The cynic sees only cynicism, the depressive can taint creation with one glance By Anna Funder Cynicism Glance Cynic Depressive Taint

Flippancy, the most hopeless form of intellectual vice. By George Gissing Flippancy Vice Hopeless Form Intellectual

Cynicism is proof of our intimacy issues with the Divine. By Elisa Romeo Divine Cynicism Proof Intimacy Issues

For when cynicism becomes the default language, playfulness and invention become impossible. Cynicism scours through a culture like bleach, wiping out millions of small, seedling ideas. Cynicism means your automatic answer becomes "No." Cynicism means you presume everything will end in disappointment. And this is, ultimately, why anyone becomes cynical. Because they are scared of disappointment. Because they are scared someone will take advantage of them. Because they are fearful their innocence will be used against them - that when they run around gleefully trying to cram the whole world in their mouth, someone will try to poison them. By Caitlin Moran Cynicism Language Playfulness Impossible Default

One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism. By Damon Lindelof Cynicism Person Magical Thinking

I fight cynicism. It's too easy. It's really boring. It's much harder to be positive and see the wonder of everything. Cynicism is a bunch of people who aren't as talented as other people, knocking them because they make them feel even more untalented. By Ewan Mcgregor Fight Cynicism People Easy Boring

The cynic puts all human actions into two classes - openly bad and secretly bad. By Henry Ward Beecher Classes Openly Bad Cynic Puts

Many people today believe that cynicism requires courage. Actually, cynicism is the height of cowardice. It is innocence and open-heartedness that requires the true courage-however often we are hurt as a result of it. By Erica Jong Courage Cynicism People Today Requires

I think cynicism often disguises itself as humour. By Michka Assayas Humour Cynicism Disguises

egocentric melodrama. By David Michie Egocentric Melodrama

Scratch the surface of any cynic, and you will find a wounded idealist underneath. Because of previous pain or disappointment, cynics make their conclusions about life before the questions have even been asked. This means that beyond just seeing what is wrong with the world, cynics lack the courage to do something about it. The dynamic beneath cynicism is a fear of accepting responsibility. By John Ortberg Scratch Underneath Surface Find Wounded

antipathy toward By Graeme Simsion Antipathy

The cynic is one who never sees a good quality in a man, and never fails to see a bad one. He is the human owl, vigilant in darkness and blind to light, mousing for vermin, and never seeing noble game. By Henry Ward Beecher Man Cynic Good Quality Fails

Cynicism is humor in ill health. By H.g.wells Cynicism Health Humor Ill

You mistake my jealousy for good old-fashioned cynicism. By Nicole Williams Cynicism Mistake Jealousy Good Oldfashioned

I'm actually equal parts cynicism and apathy. I'm always willing to believe the worst as long as it doesn't take too much effort. By Dennis Miller Apathy Equal Parts Cynicism Effort

Joshua, cynicism is the only reasonable response to the antics of humanity. By Terry Pratchett Joshua Cynicism Humanity Reasonable Response

Your cynicism lies in your willing abuse of others to consolidate your superiority over them. My cynicism is in regard to humanity's wilful blindness with respect to its own extinction.''Without that wilful blindness there is naught but despair.''Oh, I am not that cynical. In fact, I do not agree at all. Maybe when the wilful blindness runs its inevitable course, there will be born wilful wisdom, the revelation of seeing things as they are.''Things? To which things are you referring, old man?''Why, that everything of true value is, in fact, free. By Steven Erikson Wilful Blindness Things Cynicism Fact

Because cynicism misses the presence of the Shepherd, it reverses the picture in John 1 of light invading darkness. Like Saruman in The Lord of the Rings, cynicism looks too long into the Dark Lord's crystal ball. Its attempt to unmask evil unwittingly enlarges evil. Increasingly, we are returning to the world of pre-Christian paganism, where evil seemingly has the loudest voice and the last word. By Paul E. Miller Shepherd John Lord Cynicism Darkness

learned only later what I'd seen: the manufacture of a term that would be used to increase traffic on the Word Exchange. For some users of the Meme - those whose devices had been infected with a new virus that had recently started circulating - terms like this one would replace "obscure" words - "cynical," "morbid," "integrity" - that those of us who'd grown dependent on our Memes no longer fully trusted to our memories. But I knew nothing then about these neologisms, or the virus, or why this "word" had just been fabricated. By Alena Graedon Exchange Learned Word Manufacture Increase

Cynic' is the sentimentalist's name for the realist. By Carolyn Heilbrun Cynic Realist Sentimentalist

What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. And a sentimentalist, my dear Darlington, is a man who sees an absurd value in everything, and doesn't know the market place of any single thing. By Oscar Wilde Cynic Man Darlington Price Sentimentalist

A cheap and easy cynicism rails at everything. The master of the art accomplishes the formidable task of discrimination. By Ambrose Bierce Cheap Easy Cynicism Rails Discrimination

Cynics are - beneath it all - only idealists with awkwardly high standards. By Alain De Botton Cynics Beneath Standards Idealists Awkwardly

Cynicism may help us create simpler storylines with good guys and bad guys, but it doesn't make us any better at telling the truth, which is that most of us are a frightening mix of good and evil, sinner and saint. By Rachel Held Evans Good Guys Cynicism Truth Evil

I haven't deeply considered the matter [...] but if to look truth in the face and not resent it when it's unpalatable, and take human nature as you find it, smiling when it's absurd and grieved without exaggeration when it's pitiful, is to be cynical, then I suppose I'm a cynic. Mostly human nature is both absurd and pitiful, but if life has taught you tolerance you find in it more to smile at than to weep.[The back of beyond] By W. Somerset Maugham Pitiful Human Nature Find Absurd

I think that every moment you succumb to cynicism, you're taking energy away from change. By Marianne Williamson Cynicism Change Moment Succumb Taking

A cynic can chill and dishearten with a single word. By Ralph Waldo Emerson Word Cynic Chill Dishearten Single

Cynical' is a term invented by optimists to describe realists. By Anonymous Cynical Realists Term Invented Optimists

I need a healthy injection of cynicism right now. By Dylan Moran Healthy Injection Cynicism

Giving full rein to one's cynicism as one goes along produces a normal outlet and maintains an emotional equilibrium. By S. S. Van Dine Giving Equilibrium Full Rein Cynicism

It's exhausting being cynical. You are trying to be an immovable, angry rock in the middle of a stream. But the stream will not move. It is you that will be worn down to dull silt. By Caitlin Moran Cynical Exhausting Stream Immovable Angry

Cynics know the answers without having penetrated deeply enough to know the questions. When challenged by mysterious truths, they marshall 'facts. By Marilyn Ferguson Cynics Questions Facts Answers Penetrated

Cynics are merely idealists with unusually high standards. By Alain De Botton Cynics Standards Idealists Unusually High

It is always some illusion that creates disillusion, especially in the young, for whom the only alternative to perfection is cynicism. By Jacques Barzun Disillusion Young Cynicism Illusion Creates

A cynic sees little to admire in the world, while the world sees even less to admire in him. By Evan Esar Admire World Cynic

I have a big cynical side to me. By Peter Dinklage Big Cynical Side

A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. By Shane Kuhn Cynic Man Price

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will. By Antonio Gramsci Pessimism Intellect Optimism

Don't give in to cynicism. It is a toxic spiritual state. By Cory Booker Cynicism Give State Toxic Spiritual

Cynicism is cheap - you can buy it at any monoprix store. it's built into all poor-quality goods. By Graham Greene Cynicism Cheap Store Buy Monoprix

A cynic is a man who looks at the world with a monocle in his mind's eye. By Carolyn Wells Eye Cynic Man World Monocle

The attraction of cynicism was that it so often put you in the right, as if being right led directly to happiness. By Richard Russo Happiness Attraction Cynicism Put Led

A cynic is a person who sees things as it is; he has no concept of future or past. By Debasish Mridha Past Cynic Person Things Concept

So don't get cynical. Cynicism didn't put a man on the moon. Cynicism has never won a war, or cured a disease, or built a business, or fed a young mind. Cynicism is a choice. And hope will always be a better choice. By Barack Obama Cynicism Cynical Choice Moon Put

Youthful cynicism is sad to observe, because it indicates not so much knowledge learned from bitter experiences as insufficient trust even to attempt the future. By Maya Angelou Youthful Observe Future Cynicism Sad

Cynicism often draws correct conclusions, but nobody could live by its lights. By Mason Cooley Cynicism Conclusions Lights Draws Correct

when cynicism becomes the default language, playfulness and invention become impossible. By Caitlin Moran Language Playfulness Impossible Cynicism Default

Despite appearances I'm not a cynic. I'm a sarcastic pragmatist. By Stephen B5 Jones Cynic Appearances Pragmatist Sarcastic

I don't think being a cynic is necessarily a negative thing. It's a matter of seeing the world with clear and open eyes. By Tom Tomorrow Thing Cynic Necessarily Negative Eyes