What to do about growing cynicism

A great many commentators are lamenting what they see as a suppurating state of cynicism in American society, evidenced most recently by the dismally low voter turn-out for last week's elections. But in the wake of a series of celebrated court cases, capped this week by the release of the English au pair, can we blame people for being tempted toward cynicism?

Cynicism can result from our own fault -- from laziness, lack of reflection, the choice of self-gratification over self-sacrifice, or a myopic focus on what's wrong instead of a more expansive view of a situation. But cynicism can also result from the actions of others, whose behavior is so wrong and seems so beyond repair that it is completely understandable that people become cynical in its wake. That seems to be happening in both politics and its cousin, the law.

In politics, voters who watch the Washington tango -- being danced by both parties over influence-peddling, soft and hard money, and other corruptions of the system -- can be forgiven for saying on Election Day: "I have better things to do than put into office someone who will not listen to me because he or she is busy counting contributions from China, Hollywood, big business and moguls...someone who will bemoan that state of affairs but then will do absolutely nothing to change it."

In law, a string of bizarre courtroom decisions has been enough to leave even the most open-minded person agreeing with the Dickens' character in "Oliver Twist" who said: "If the law supposes that, the law is a ass." Consider what we have seen with our own eyes in recent months:

* Police officers beat Rodney King and are found not guilty by a jury that watched them do it on videotape;

* Angered at the first King verdict, people riot in the streets and try to murder a truck driver; at their trial, the truck driver puts the blame where he thinks it belongs: on himself;

* O.J. Simpson slaughters two people and is sentenced to a lifetime of amateur golf;

* A jury in Massachusetts finds a British au pair guilty of killing a baby, and she is then released by a judge who says, "Nevermind," while champagne corks pop in England.

And with Marv Albert's recent media blitz thrown in for bad measure, it is easy for people to conclude that criminal guilt these days means nothing more than a shortcut to fame and fortune (how long before the au pair is on Oprah?).

The remedy for this rampant cynicism is reform, both of the structures involved and of our individual involvement in them. The latter comes first. Catholic politicians, lawyers and citizens have to critique their own actions before they can hope to do something about politics and law in general. That critique requires honest self-evaluation, deep reflection and a willingness to admit fault, failure and flaws.

Whatever its cause, cynicism can be sinful. Confessing it and then promising to do better is good -- for both the soul and the nation.

(11-13-97) [[In-content Ad]]