Cynicism & Jack and the Beanstalk

We are all cynics.

You walk into a car dealership.
I try out a new church.
My wife considers a new hand lotion (with cucumber and yogurt extracts).

We have our doubts. "I don't believe you. I don't trust your promises!" we shout from behind the emotional walls we have built to defend us from the organizational wolves ready to prey on our:

• time
• energy
• money
• optimism
• faith
• etc.

The car dealership, new church, and hand lotion beg us to trust them at their word - "We will keep our promises" they assure us.

But we have all been burned before. We have traded the cow for the magic beans one too many times.

• The hovercraft you ordered from the back of the comic book does not really fly
• The vision statement on the wall at work is not followed in the day-to-day
• The people you trusted fell from their pedestal
• Put your hand on the screen and you will be healed (after you send $19.95 to the address below)

Pain has metastasized into cynicism. But wait...

...Most of us do not stay cynical toward all people, toward all organizations. I got married, for goodness sake. I trust the vision my wife cast. I currently trust the vision my employer casts. I did let my walls down for them. Overcoming my cynicism is possible. So the question really is:

HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE CYNICISM?

One of the key topics of this blog will be to explore how does one overcome this cynicism that is ubiquitous in:

1. Large Companies
2. Start-up Companies
3. Government Agencies (FEMA anyone)
4. NGO's like the Red Cross and the Boy Scouts
5. Churches
6. And even personal relationships

We have much to talk about.