Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How did I get so cynical?

Stop embarrassing yourself. It's embarrassing.

I don't understand that comment.

I've embarrassed my wife, my children, my friends, my parents, my lawyer, my siblings, my in-laws, my employers, my neighbors, and my dog.

But never myself. I've always been happy to see me.




Clark

Fireball2, I understand at least some of your post - and do manage to get out into remote and quiet for a spell almost every day (maybe easier here). Disconnecting in brief spells like that may be helpful while persisting to engage the crazy realities extant. Some of the stuff on the Campfire may be an all too realistic slice of the surrounding world, and some of the behavior a pain at times. However, there are many really good folks on the 'Fire and often it feels better to engage here than in many of the necessary places.

I live on a really private peaceful rural property or I'd go nuts. Pine trees are built in as are other stress-relievers like always having good honest physical work what needs doing.

Fireball... keep in mind too this has been an UGLY winter. Relentless, and it started in early October, I know because I had plants in the ground that the early cold and rain put at risk <g>... dunno if it's been as bad down there. Spring is coming.

Your thoughts on conflict resonate with me. Here's a secret about how I tick. I love to debate the hard topics. I'll even take a side I don't necessarily 100% believe in just to further the debate; I do it here all the time. That sort of discourse- the exchange of ideas, a respectful and good-faith attempt to hear the other guy and also say your own piece- is completely FUBAR in our society right now. It's depressing.

I don't understand. I come on here partly to chuckle at the arguing and internet chest pumping that goes on.

Come to think of it, getting a laugh out of people arguing is somewhat cynical and dark. Maybe I need to find a pine tree?

On a serious note there's plenty of good people on here with a lifetime of knowledge about a whole host of subjects. If you're going to be a member of a pretty much non restrictive internet site, then you gotta learn not to sweat the small stuff.

Most people's internet typing habits are not the way they carry on a conversation with people in person. Just the way it works. Half the people fighting on here and on other sites would consider each other good neighbors if they lived down the road from each other.

Hey ShadeTree, any chance you're a Pine?

thats fer damn sure. hard to see the bright side of things half the time with all the schit going on. it would be nice to have the attitude i had when i was 25.

Cynicism seems to come with age. With years of experience and observation, a man learns that the best outcome rarely happens and its all downhill.

On here? No way. Word is some of these guys like Whataburger's and tend to fart a lot. The updraft could be brutal.

When you are really feel down go to your nearest VA Hospital or even visit one of the Wounded Warrior type of websites. Your reality may get adjusted.


mike r

Well said.

the issue or problem or change in the culture that many of us see is the shift from the rural & exurban viewpoint to the "big city" view of the world. it's a different mindset any way one wants to look at it.

getting older does shift one's world view. but it's deeper than that now, and there's more to it. it's downright slipping up on the tipping point.

but, life does go on. i don't think my Grands are going to have a life anything like mine, but then i didn't have a life anything like my grandparents. it's interesting to see the changes that are happening all around us.

the downside is that a lot of the stuff i always took for granted is slowly slipping away. shooting rabbits after dark now will get the SWAT team called out in a lot of the areas of the country. and that's the way it is.

Back when I was working my boss went to the coast and parked in one of those view stop places. He was enjoying the view and heard someone coming up on him. He turned to see a guy on crutches with only on leg. My boss asked, "How ya doin'?" The response, "Can't complain."

Since I heard that I have always been glad I can sharpen a knife for someone or cut down a tree for them.

Fireball2: I have spent time enjoying and viewing the Hells Canyon - it doesn't change anything that I am cynical about.
Its worth doing and enjoyable but again doesn't change things!
I do all I can personally and politically to make things (our country and its circumstance!) better and have grown to live with my cynicism!
In fact it (my cynicism) motivates me at times.
Don't hide it, don't flaunt it, don't let it worry you!
Live with it - I am convinced it is a natural outgrowth of life in the United States of America anymore.
Sad, in a way, but realistic.
I have been cynical, for instance, about our society and its downward spiral for just over 50 years now.
I do what I can to make things (and my children!) better and that's a way to keep MY conscience clear.
Good luck with your cynicism and don't let the sounds of your own wheels drive YOU crazy!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Maybe I should borrow an ambulance.

Yes. Tell them you're the one under the pine tree.

If your glass is half empty
you need to buy more beer.....

or

Go ewell gibbins under a tree.

Your call.

People find what they are looking for. On a forum like this you find a lot of political and religious stuff.Both are subjects people want to argue over.It's not too hard to find yourself in an argument when we come here looking for one.

Whenever one of these forums gets too important for me ,I take a break,sort of a fast from it for a while until it doesn't seem so important anymore.

It's easy to not be cynical, just be sarcastic instead. Don't let idiots annoy you just screw with them till they are mad as hell and you can just sit back and snicker. I have a friend on Facebook that moved to NY and is the librarian at Cornell. I replied to one of his posts and got a couple of "what do you mean by that" replys. One guy was a strait up dick, his profile pic was black lives matter. After a few exchanges he got really nasty so I roasted his ass one insult after another. I would post 3 or 4 burns to his one and asked if he needed more time to think of a good responce. He finally just told me to [bleep] YOU ASSHOOOOLE! It was great fun to piss off a liberal idiot so much. You just gotta not give a flip.

By choosing to hate your fellow man because he won't conform to your own ideas.