Cynicism isn't Pessimism, or: Nothing Could be That Bad

Thoughts for today:

"A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future."
Sidney J. Harris

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try."
Peggy Noonan

From The Quotations Page

Those two people were describing today's 'cynics,' not philosophers from about two and a half millennia back. Someone said that today's cynicism might be better called pessimism - and I see the point.

Isn't the Lemming Apathetic?

The Lemming is "apathetic" in the groovily "relevant" sense of the word. The Lemming cares, but not so much about what some consider the 'right' things.