Am I turning into a cynic?

As you get older you can become cynical. It is quite natural. If a post seems to be not quite the truth then it probably isn't. Being cynical is a protection from the ideas which others sometimes have. You will not be enticed into investing your life savings in some wonderful investment with 12% interest which other non cynical older people have done in the past.

Keep posting on GN and keep your sense of humour and you will learn a lot and it makes interesting reading and whiles away many a boring hour.

Life experiences turn many of us into a cynic I think ann60 - the alternative is to become one of those awful Polyanna types

Give me a good old cynic any day!

Absolutely!

I have become a real cynic. It comes from having lived a long time and seen it all before Sometimes my DH says to me 'do you actually like or trust anybody these days?' I do really!

I agree that some posts just don't ring true. It is difficult to put your finger on it, and not everyone seems to be cynical about them. I think that as you get older you have heard a lot of stories, some of which were told as seen by the teller - not always in as detached a way as they really happened.

As MargaretX says, cynicaism is a protection from exploitation, financial and emotional. It doesn't stop us from seeing the best in people. Sometimes the best that we see is in those who go out of their way to try to help others with problems.

There is often very good advice in the threads for others with similar troubles. I do hope you find something in them for your situations.

I think its healthy to have a certain amount of cynacism (sp?). When I was younger I trusted people until they gave me a reason not to. Now people have to earn my trust (which isn't easy!). There are so many scams these days, many aimed at the "more mature" in society, that you have to be wary.

Well said Elegran

Ann I think sceptical is perhaps a nicer, and more appropriate, word than cynical.
Sceptical merely means having doubts or reservations about something, whereas cynical implies that you are distrustful of other people's motives and put the worst interpretation on their actions.

It's much better to be sceptical than gullible.

You sound far too nice to be cynical

I'm often cynical. I'm often sceptical too.

I'm very cynical and sceptical too with good reason. I've trusted people and been used too many times.
I know there are many good and kind folk out there though.

Thank you all for your input I think I will continue to try to consider every situation and act accordingly,hopefully without judging harshly.

as has been said earlier, scepticism isn't cynicism. Life experience teaches us it's sensible not to believe things you find, well hard to believe. Elegran sums it up very well

I agree about the strange posts - I've given up reading some posts and threads - they are often so bizarre..the grammar is sometimes so bad, i can't understand what they're talking about. Perhaps GHQ should start a translation service.

What amazes me is the patience of those Gransnetters who have clearly tried to understand and then offered a reasoned opinion. Well done you!

I understand the statement about some posts not ringing true - but I always think it is probably best to give people the benefit of the doubt initially as there's nowt so queer as folk.

Even if some posts are not entirely true, they still get reactions and comments that keep interesting discussions going. Who know if people on line are who they appear to be, may be their alter ego.
After all, who would realise from my posts that I am really a suave, elegant man about town in my late forties. Nowhere do I mention my Ferrari or the yacht in St Topaz.

And why should you pompa we just surmise it from your scintillating posts.

pompa

When I first saw this a few days ago I wanted to say"what posts have been odd" I didn't because I didn't want to come across as nieave or dippy. I'm often the last to know about this sort of stuff. I'm not good at picking it up. Often I have to ask and make people be very blunt. Innuendoes seem to go over the top of my head. It often takes me an age to figure out people lie and even then I'm at a loss to understand why. I don't fall for scams and my mantra is ' if it looks too good to be true it probably is' it's just the normal every day sort of stuff I'm shite bad at. Just lately the penny has dropped about my relationship with some of my husbands family and I'm finding it painful. In someways I wish it hadn't but like the others I'm thinking "is it me being cynical" or have I come to my senses and see things clearly.

pompa