Cynicism is the easy way out. To become a cynic is the easiest thing in the world. Oh, you had many bad experiences in life? Poor guy, but rise above it. Cynicism is a sign of weakness. Keep a positive attitude, let your anger go. Don't be too proud of your bitterness. It's a a sign of bad character. Stay positive, that's the real challenge. Cynicism is a sign of despair and personal weakness. Staying a good, caring person against all odds makes you a strong person. Keep fighting. Don't be such a weak cynic!
Cynics, by definition, only ever get nice surprises. I'm cynical without being soured. I find that works.
No, because you can be 100% cynical and still have hopes that good things will happen. For example, you could seek to exploit people based on your cynical assumptions. A pure pessimist would expect the absolute worst to happen no matter what. That's where the "only get nice surprises" bit comes in.
