QuoteProject
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.
Stephen Colbert
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Cynicism pretends to be wise but actually prevents growth and understanding.

This quote by Stephen Colbert highlights the difference between true wisdom and cynicism. While cynics may believe they possess insight, they often miss important lessons and experiences due to their closed-off attitude towards the world. This self-imposed blindness stems from a fear of being hurt or disappointed, suggesting that embracing life's challenges is crucial for genuine understanding and wisdom.

Themes

CynicismWisdomLearnBlindnessFearRejection

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about personal growth, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of openness to new experiences.

More from Stephen Colbert

My character is self-important, poorly informed, well-intentioned but an idiot. So we said, `Let's give him a promotion.'
Stephen ColbertRead
Luckily, a recent survey published in the American Sociological Review revealed that atheists are the least trusted group in America—less trusted, even, than homosexuals. It makes sense at least we trust the homosexuals with our hair.
Stephen ColbertRead
And when those bombs went off, there were runners who, after finishing a marathon, kept running for another two miles to the hospital to donate blood. So, here's what I know - these maniacs may have tried to make life bad for the people of Boston, but all they can ever do, is show just how good those people are.
Stephen ColbertRead
My father always wanted to be 'Col-bear.' He lived in the same town as his father, and his father didn't like the idea of the name with the French pronunciation. So my father said to us, 'Do what you want. You're not going to offend anybody.' And he was dead long before I made my decision.
Stephen ColbertRead
I may be just an empty flesh terminal reliant on technology for all my ideas, memories and relationships, but I am confident that all of that everything that makes me a unique human being is still out there somewhere, safe in a theoretical storage space owned by giant, multinational corporations.
Stephen ColbertRead
And that brings us to tonight's word: Truthiness. Now I'm sure some of the word-police, the 'wordanistas' over at Websters, are gonna say, 'Hey, that's not a word!' Well, anybody who knows me knows that I am no fan of dictionaries or reference books. They're elitist. Constantly telling us what is or isn't true, what did or didn't happen.
Stephen ColbertRead

Similar quotes

you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
It's not just that reporting gives you a bigger slice of life, gives - lends verisimilitude to what you are doing - it's that it feeds the imagination.
Tom WolfeRead
All I can say is I did the best I could, and I didn't do well enough on many occasions.
John Paul StevensRead
What distracts us will begin to define us. We don't need to swing at every pitch.
Bob GoffRead
Perhaps when the light of heaven shows us clearly the pitfalls and dangers of the earth road that led to the heavenly city, our sweetest songs of gratitude will be not for the troubles we have conquered, but for those we have escaped.
Amelia BarrRead
Jessica stopped beside him, said: 'What delicious abandon in the sleep of a child.' He spoke mechanically: 'If only adults could relax like that.' 'Yes.' 'Where do we lose it?' he murmured. 'We do, indeed, lose something,' she said.
Frank HerbertRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.