The skeptic and the cynic

Sometimes I’m a skeptic. I hear something—an outrageous claim, a popular opinion, a trending idea—and my instinct is to pause, ask questions and dig deeper. I want to know the source, the evidence, the reasoning. I’m not trying to tear anything down; I just want to understand what’s real. I ask, “What’s the full story here?” because I believe truth matters, even if it’s complicated or uncomfortable.

Other times, if I’m honest, I slip into cynicism. I catch myself rolling my eyes, assuming the worst, questioning people’s motives instead of just their logic. It’s not because I want to be negative, but because I’ve seen enough disappointments to be cautious—sometimes too cautious. In those moments, I don’t just question the claim, I question the person behind it. I assume spin, manipulation, or hidden agendas. And while that mindset protects me from being naive, it can also close me off from insight and connection.

A skeptic is someone who questions claims and seeks evidence before accepting ideas as true. A cynic is someone who tends to believe that people are primarily motivated by self-interest, often expecting the worst in human behavior.

No matter which lens I’m viewing the world through—skepticism or cynicism—one thing is constant: I’m always curious. I care deeply about getting things right, about understanding the world and my place in it. I don’t ask follow-up questions to be difficult or distrusting. I ask them because I care and want to learn what I don’t know. On most days, I look for the best in people and I believe that thinking clearly starts with asking questions – of ourselves and of the people around us.