History Main / TheCynic

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist/Misanthrope, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, the world tends to maximum entropy]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[BlackAndGray grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). If used badly, you can expect them being called out as {{wangst}}y.

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist/Misanthrope, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, the world tends to maximum entropy]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). If used badly, you can expect them being called out as {{wangst}}y.

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist/Misanthrope, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, the world tends to maximum entropy]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). If used badly and you can expect them being called out as {{wangst}}y.

* StrawNihilist

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist/Misanthrope, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, the world tends to maximum entropy]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). Pessimists can be GenreSavvy if used properly, but used badly and you can expect them being called out as {{wangst}}y.

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a [[CrapsackWorld bad place.]] Whenever they describe something, expect them to AccentuateTheNegative. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen', probably [[{{Deconstruction}} pointing out all the flaws]] as they go. This character may be angry or indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be heavily critical and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

The {{Trope Namer}}s, the Greek [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynicism Cynics]], were not especially cynical as we now understand the term - they believed that people should reject all conventional notions of happiness, like those that involved wealth, power, fame, idealism, etc., and live a simple, natural life with no possessions, sharing some similarities with Buddhism. However, many of the Cynics (such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope Diogenes of Sinope]]) took the philosophy to its extreme, criticizing Classical idealism while also preaching poverty and ugliness ('cynic' is from the Greek word ''kynikos'', 'dog-like'). Which is why the Cynics are depicted by the Enlightenment as hateful {{Straw Nihilist}}s.

This character is likely to show up in either a CrapsackWorld, where they are always right, or in a SugarBowl, where [[TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong they exist solely to be proven wrong]]. Of course, in more realistic settings more nuanced forms of cynic can also turn up, their rightness index varying.

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. Whenever they describe something, expect them to AccentuateTheNegative. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen', probably [[{{Deconstruction}} pointing out all the flaws]] as they go. This character may be angry or indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be heavily critical and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

** KnightInSourArmour (if their core idealism is overshadowed by their cynicism)

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. Whenever he describes something, expect him to AccentuateTheNegative. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen', probably [[{{Deconstruction}} pointing out all the flaws]] as they go. This character may be angry or indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be heavily critical and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, the world tends to maximum entropy]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). Pessimists can be GenreSavvy if used properly, but used badly and you can expect them being called out as {{wangst}}y.

** KnightInSourArmour

* DeadpanSnarker (sometimes)

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). Pessimists can be GenreSavvy if used properly, but used badly and you can expect them being called out as {{wangst}}y.

* SnarkKnight

The {{Trope Namer}}s, the Greek [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynicism Cynics]], were not especially cynical as we now understand the term - they believed that people should reject all conventional notions of happiness, like those that involved wealth, power, fame, idealism, etc., and live a simple, natural life with no possessions, sharing some similarities with Buddhism. However, since many of the Cynics (such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope Diogenes of Sinope]], one of the pioneers of the philosophy) took the philosophy to its extreme, criticizing Ancient Greco-Roman idealism while living in squalor ('cynic' is from the Greek word ''kynikos'', 'dog-like'), thus the popular depiction of them as {{Straw Nihilist}}s by the Enlightenment.

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. When he talks or describes something expect him to AccentuateTheNegative. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen', probably [[{{Deconstruction}} pointing out all the flaws]] as they go. This character may be angry or indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be heavily critical and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

An extreme version of The Cynic is The Pessimist, who always expect the worst out of everyone and everything ([[FinaglesLaw Anything that can go wrong will go wrong]], HumansAreMorons and/or HumansAreBastards, and that morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]] or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]]). Pessimists can be GenreSavvy if used properly, but used badly and you can expect them being criticized for being {{wangst}}y.

The {{Trope Namer}}s, the Greek [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynicism Cynics]], were not especially cynical as we now understand the term - they believed that people should reject all conventional notions of happiness, like those that involved wealth, power, fame, idealism, etc., and live a simple, natural life with no possessions, sharing some similarities with Buddhism. However, since many of the Cynics (such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope Diogenes of Sinope]], one of the pioneers of the philosophy) took the philosophy to its extreme, criticizing Ancient Greco-Roman idealism while living in squalor ('cynic' is from the Greek word ''kynikos'', 'dog-like'), they were seen by intellectuals in the late 18th and early 19th century as pessimists, misanthropes and {{Nietzsche Wannabe}}s.

* JadedWashout
* NietzscheWannabe

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. When he talks or describes something expect him to AccentuateTheNegative. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen', probably [[{{Deconstruction}} pointing out all the flaws]] as they go. This character may be angry or indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be [[CausticCritic heavily critical]] and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. When he talks or describes something expect him to AccentuateTheNegative. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen.' This character may be indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be [[KnightInSourArmour heavily critical]] and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. Who expects the worst from everyone, believing that HumansAreMorons and/or [[HumansAreBastards Bastards]] and morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[BlackAndGrayMorality grey and black]], or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]], assuming they subscribe to any notion of morality at all. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen.' This character may be indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be [[KnightInSourArmour heavily critical]] and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

The {{Trope Namer}}s, the Greek [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynicism Cynics]], were not especially cynical as we now understand the term - they believed that people should reject all conventional notions of happiness, like those that involved wealth, power, fame, idealism, etc., and live a simple, natural life with no possessions, sharing some similarities with Buddhism. However, since many of the Cynics (such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope Diogenes of Sinope]], one of the pioneers of the philosophy) took the philosophy to its extreme, criticizing traditional social values while living in squalor ('cynic' is from the Greek word ''kynikos'', 'dog-like'), they were seen by thinkers in the late 18th and early 19th century as pessimists, misanthropes and {{Nietzsche Wannabe}}s.

Related to TheCynic and very often overlapping is ThePessimist, who will always expect the worst out of everyone and everything, believing that [[FinaglesLaw anything that can go wrong will go wrong]], and sometimes even things that can't. TheCynic, however, is likely to be more apathetic and less {{Wangst}}y about the whole thing.

A character who believes that the world is, to put it lightly, a bad place. Who expects the worst from everyone, believing that HumansAreMorons and/or [[HumansAreBastards Bastards]] and morality is [[GreyAndGrayMorality grey and grey]], [[GreyAndBlackMorality grey and black]], or [[EvilVersusEvil black and black]], assuming they subscribe to any notion of morality at all. If someone puts forward an idealistic or optimistic premise, TheCynic is about equally likely to respond with '[[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids That's moronic]],' as 'That's a nice idea in theory, never going to happen.' This character may be indifferent to their (perceived) CrapsackWorld, or may be [[KnightInSourArmour heavily critical]] and [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]].

* DeadpanSnarker