The Moral Criticism Of Modem Cynicism

In the recent years,rapid transformation of Chinese society led to the overlap of traditional and modern cultures as well as the intersections of Chinese and Western cultures.Against this backdrop,modern cynicism arises in Chinese society with the major characteristics of altruistic values,mistrusted and staying-away attitude.Unlike classical Cynicism giving up personal enjoyment for perfect virtues,modern cynicism spreads a negative decadent thought by insisting on altruistic values,mistrusted and staying-away attitude,which shows an ingrained contempt for the value of human and moral as well as an obvious criticizing and destructing effects on the moral.If allowed to progress without any intervention,it will create immeasurable impact on for the individual and the community.Therefore,this dissertation seeks to examine the impact of modern cynicism on Chinese morality,which is studied to explore a coping strategy which is suitable to China's conditions.Chapter 1 explores the etymology and connotation of “Cynicism”.Make a clear distinction between classical Cynicism and modern cynicism,which can reveal the essence of modern cynicism.Chapter 2 focuses on the generation environment of modern cynicism in Chinese society.We see that the transformation of social and economic system,the development of media and the education of scientism to provide suitable forming conditions for modern cynicism in China.Chapter 3 analyzes the negative influence of modern cynicism on Chinese morality.Modern cynicism is seen to actively deny the possibility of the reconstruction of interpersonal relationships through human effort,which can shake the moral foundation,disintegrate people's moral beliefs and lead to moral indifference.Chapter 4 seeks to explore the coping strategy of modern cynicism.This dissertation closes with some practical suggestions by which we might reconstruct our cynical attitudes,confronting their sources in the social pedagogies of faith and morality.In so doing,I hope to offer paths of possible amelioration whereby we might unseat the cynicism that so dominates our age.