Is being cynical the best approach to life? Does it beat being either skeptical or gullible?

Being cynical is a very negative way to approach your life. A cynic focuses on the problems rather than the benefits, sees what could go wrong and says no. He tends to reject things and experiences he doesn't know about in advance. You can change your life by seeing that, until you've experienced something, how can you know anything about it? So cynicism will steer you clear of what's new and exciting.

The large number of people who don't bother to vote in an election are sometimes seen as cynical. They agree with Winston Churchill's famous dictum: Democracy is the worst form of government. But they ignore the rest of his explanation: except for all the others!

Politicians Just Pass More and More Laws
Cynics see that, no matter who they vote for, it won't make any difference since you'll still have a politician filling the position. Which has given rise to a provocative yet thoughtful suggestion to change your life. Here's how to improve the voting system.

List None Of The Above as the last name under all the others on the ballot paper. Then if None Of The Above gets a majority of the votes, then nobody fills the position and it's left vacant. Naturally, all those who don't choose to vote for any of the people standing should automatically have their vote counted for None Of The Above.

This takes the somewhat cynical viewpoint that politicians do more harm than good because they interfere with your freedom and rarely repeal laws. The cynic sees that politicians only pass more and more laws and regulations, all of which they pretend will benefit you. The secret of success is to see many laws - such as the US Patriot Act - actually do little more than take away your freedom. As US Founding Father Benjamin Franklin insightfully observed: "Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one."

Can You Know The Law?
It's been estimated that if you were to spend 8 hours a day every day for the rest of your life just reading all the laws, rules and regulations which apply in the USA, then you wouldn't be able to read them all even once. But ignorance of the law is no excuse! I've even been given to understand that one of the more horrendous laws passed by politicians: apparently government agents are legally allowed to lie to you. You have no legal recourse since they can pretend they are telling the truth as they deliberately mislead you.

Although some politicians may have the best intentions, the problem is that most seem to think that the world would be a better place if everyone were forced to obey their rules. They arrogantly insist that it should be done their way, and pass laws against any other. The secret of success is to realize the proverb, as well as the song title, is accurate: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Would Less Laws be an Improvement?
Many very credible economists, the independent ones, say that to recover, the economy needs more freedom not more laws. The politicians need to repeal the counter-productive and unconstitutional laws and regulations - as well as the outdated and ineffective ones - which curtail your freedom to create wealth. Yet politicians pass yet more laws putting evermore power in the hands of the government to solve the problems caused by the laws and regulations already on the books.

One of the many major benefits to such repeal would change your life. It would eliminate the government's justification for taking even more of your hard-earned money to pay for the extra bureaucrats!

Are They On Your Side?
Don't be cynical. But do ask yourself if anyone wanting you to follow them is genuinely promoting your best interests, or are they only interested in their own?

The Cato Institute's Dr. James Buchanan won the 1986 Nobel prize in economics for demonstrating that government employees and politicians are as venal - mercenary - as everyone else. Professor Buchanan's Public Choice analysis conclusively proved that self-interest is the primary concern of all public servants, just as it is for private citizens.

Even when someone is on your side, and has your own best interests at heart, it's natural they put their best interests first. Hopefully you'll come not too far after their spouse, their children, their family, and their company. Then there are their friends, their associates and their goals and ambitions...

The secret of success is to ask yourself: How far down your favorite politician's list do your interests come?


Food for Thought
"No man's life liberty or property is safe while the legislature is in session."

- Mark Twain (1835-1910), gifted American author, incisive political outlook!

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