It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
Cynics are - beneath it all - only idealists with awkwardly high standards.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cynics often have high expectations that lead to their disillusionment with the world.
This quote suggests that cynicism is a covering for deeper idealism. Cynics may outwardly criticize and dismiss the world around them, but their negative outlook often stems from unfulfilled aspirations and a longing for higher ideals that they believe society fails to meet.
Themes
CynicismIdealismStandardsExpectationsDisillusionment
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about overcoming negativity and striving for ideals.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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