NC: Well, we are told relentlessly that the world is doomed. The media amplifies this idea to the point of hysteria. We are conditioned to only see the world in terms of oppression and corruption and degradation. To some degree it is hard not be sucked into this torrent of despair, to become hardened and cynical. However, it doesn’t take much to... See more

Musician Nick Cave on cynicism and hopefulness:

“Cynicism is not a neutral position — and although it asks almost nothing of us, it is highly infectious and unbelievably destructive. In my view, it is the most common and easy of evils. I know this because much of my early life was spent holding the world and the people in it in contempt. It was a... See more

We do need to be optimistic as a culture. Dreaming is the greatest weapon humans have, and it is how we advance. There’s a balance to be struck between the old-style worship and the emerging cynicism.