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Money Does Talk: It Contributes to Voter Cynicism


December 2013

Just Thinking

Money Does Talk: It Contributes to Voter Cynicism

by Philip Damon

Philip Damon taught writing and literature at the University of Hawaii for 34 years, and his fiction, non-fiction and social commentaries have been published widely. Among the mystic and holistic traditions, he has followed many practices. His “Sacred Democracy” columns appear monthly in readthedirt.org.

Along the spectrum of human attitudes, can any be more perplexing than the one we call (at times with self-satisfaction) “cynicism?” The term originated with Pyrrho of Elis in the 4th Century B.C., as an alternative to buying into unethical or even criminal influences — and was intended to be morally akin to a healthy “skepticism.” Over the centuries, however, cynicism has mutated virally in highly unhealthy ways. In fact, while unlisted as such in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), references to it appear frequently in the literature as a symptom of “Antisocial Personality Disorder,” and psychotherapists are alert for it in their patients. Yet, while posing far less of a social threat than ASPD, cynicism in our culture is hardly just a symptom. It is also a cause, and of much that is unwholesome in our public, as well as our personal, relations.

Thus in the aftermath of our fall election season, we have an opportunity to reflect on (and assess how) an atmosphere of cynicism can impact democratic hallmarks such as voting. Yet first we must consider what the word has come to mean in today’s usage: as an attitude, an act, or a belief. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, updated in 2009, it is either (1) “an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others,” or (2) “a scornfully or jaded negative comment or act.” Of course (3) is “the belief of the ancient Cynics,” but without contemporary relevance for exploring that one, let’s look at #1 and #2. And in light of those alone, is there a wonder it could be deemed symptomatic of a personality disorder?

Perhaps you’ve sensed already where I’m coming from on this, or where it is I’m going — since, as with cynicism itself, it really is a matter of coming and going. Like the proverbial serpent eating itself by the tail, cynicism is a conundrum of causes and effects: Do scornfully negative attitudes lead to cynical acts? Or do such acts lead to cynicism in others? Which is another way of asking: if you act cynically, is it a just cause for me to be cynical? Or, is it my jaded attitude that causes me to perceive your actions as cynical?

It’s difficult for me to imagine a more common impediment to the process of an orderly democracy than attitudes of cynicism. (The paucity of election turnouts comes readily to mind.) Historical examples abound of election campaigns in which cynicism of attitude and action played pivotal roles. And now, since the Supreme Court’s (blatantly cynical) Citizens United ruling affirming corporate personhood and money as speech, the influx of cash has turned the ballot box into a cashier’s till. And our two hotly contested recent campaigns of local interest and importance provide contrasting points of reference.

The loss of the state-level GMO-labeling initiative, for instance, can be looked at as a cynic’s delight. Over $22 million of multi-national corporate cash was poured into the opposition’s campaign (next to a mere $550 from in-state contributors) versus only a third of that in support, mostly from smaller, in-state donors. Moreover, as in last year’s narrower defeat in California, the polls had shown three to one in favor of GMO labeling until the high-priced (and cynically dis-informative) campaign ads came onto the air.

In the meantime, the resounding (and astounding) victories of the county council candidates, all supported by the Democrats and Washington Conservation Voters, is now considered by many (myself among them, I’m obliged to confess) to be a case of right makes might. And while it didn’t hurt at all to receive an environmentalist billionaire’s bucks, it seemed highly cynical for the chairman of the county Republicans to call a foul on that count (“It sounds like money talks.”) when the coal industry was itself a “six-figure donor.” And in the face of the impact, no less, of the 400 idealistic volunteers who beat the stump for the victorious four in hopes of a new, un-cynical era for the council.

All kinds of devious ploys (cynical acts?) are being employed nowadays in order to sway elections. Towns and states gerrymander districts toward leveraging one party’s control, and in the case of the U.S. House, despite a minority of ballots nationally in their favor. State governments impose prohibitive voting requirements (thanks, once again, to the cynical Supreme Court) on young, old, poor, and minority voters. And yes, there is that greenback “free speech” that voices itself so slickly and deceptively on the media.

Mustn’t we be careful though to resist the seductions of cynicism when observing the leverage of power in favor of privileged interests? How can a scornfully jaded attitude or a general distrust of others ever be healthy for us, whether as citizens or as persons? Idealism seems to have carried the day in the county, and there may be momentum on the GMO front as well. Either way, perhaps the question of cynicism can be looked at as a semantic one. In that case, maybe the Cynics of ancient Greece are relevant to us after all.

Just thinking….


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