Overcoming Cynicism

Combating the notion of a healthy cynicism, Overcoming Cynicism demonstrates that the cynic engages not in genuine critique, but rather in a denial of the possibility of fruitful change. Mustain first uses two historical versions of cynicismancient Greek and Victorianto describe competing currents within the cynical attitude. She brings this historical discussion to bear upon two contemporary sources of cynicism, Christian fundamentalism and scientism, and offers an alternative path which seeks to confront the real problems we encounter in our experiences of relations relations without either explaining those problems away or making them fundamental.