Jessie_3_Q

So let's talk for a minute about cynics. Historically cynics were a group of philosophers in ancient Greece who believed that extolling the virtue of one's self was the only way to achieve happiness and enlightenment. The rest of society frequently referred to them as Dogs because of the way they lived. They rejected all forms of social niceties, up to and including personal hygiene, lovely. They abandoned all ties to family, society and country. They gave up all forms of pleasurable pursuit as they were considered to be distractions from personal virtue. They were also said to have been suspicious, untrusting people who mostly tried to get their point across by mocking the human condition. Needless to say they weren't very popular.

I have a hard time dealing with cynics. I'm kind of the anti-cynic. By nature I'm pretty trusting, I'm fairly respectful of authority figures, I like to listen to what others have to say and I just like people in general. I don't get cynics and I'm pretty sure they don't get me either. I tend to think that they're cowards and they probably think I'm an idiot.

As I'm reading this book, especially the "10 Situations," I recognize myself in the "good" audiences, the ones that react to stories in a positive manner, who see the point of the story and want to alter their behaviors, who trust the person telling them the story. Really though, I have to confess that I am completely terrified of the day I walk into a room full of cynics and have to tell them a story. One or two cynics in a room I can handle. When I was an instructor in the leadership program last year I had to deal with a few students who just wouldn't let the walls down long enough for me to get through. I had some leverage because I controlled part of their grade. But what do you do when you don't have that? Have any of you had to deal with groups that just won't listen to what you have to say? What do you do to combat that?