The older I get, the more I think the system is rigged and being run by psychopaths and game-players.

I don’t just mean politics, but business, housing market, anywhere there’s power, money and hierarchy etc

My Dad used to annoy me with his cynicism when I was younger – these days I tend to think he’s just perceptive!

Has the world become more ‘gamed’ over the last 30 years or have I just become less naive? Or do we all just get more cynical as we get older as we’ve more life experience and have seen the same old games being played again and again…

It’s always been like this. People have always been trying to make money by playing other people.

Some people are just ****s! Thats always been the case. But since the advent of Thatcherism, being the very ****iest of all ****s, and behaving in the absolutely most ****ish way imaginable is apparently something to aspire to, celebrate and revel in

I try not to see it as being cynical.

More just insulating myself against inevitable disappointment and/or anger.

The personalities, methods and instruments for people screwing each other over vary with time, but the motivations do not. No matter how the perpetrators try to dress them up.

You can use all the things that you have learned and experienced ,to help develop a state of mind that brings more and more joy and contentment to your life.

OR

You can go for

I dunno – I think I am becoming more flippant and less concerned about stuff I can’t control as I get older.

I live by a simple methodology – can I change it? Yes – change it. No – don’t give it any brain space.

Works well. Makes for happy living.

I’m 43 and have been for around 20 years now. Yes the clever, powerful, rich, devious etc etc essentially take what they need at the expense of the rest. Very few people are selfless and fewer still manage to be selfless without being taken advantage of. It’s always been this way and is likely to remain so.
On the plus side you live in the UK and that means that all of the above means you – You live as you do because you use overseas labour to fund your lifestyle – Try not to worry about it.

I do believe that things have got better and that progress will continue.

We don’t have poor houses anymore
We don’t have slavery
Children don’t get sent up Chimneys anymore

But that’s not to say inequality and injustice doesn’t still go on, keep fighting Citizen Smith.

Oh and here’s a quote from Mark Twain btw:

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

no, I don’t think I am more cynical.
I think you get out of life what you put in, if you work hard you reap the rewards.
the older I get, more more I don’t give a chuff about stuff.
when I was younger I had a hot temper, I flew off the handle quite easily, I now tend to sit back and let things pass over me.
ill health and becoming a grandparent has deffo made me a big easy going softie…….good thing about getting old eh…. 8)