Scrooge was a cynic. It almost ruined his life. It certainly ruined a big portion of it. He was lucky, with some help he pulled it out at the end.
He did not start out that way. At one point, young, idealistic, he was merely a businessman who was able to see the good in people. He could feel happiness, he could trust, he could laugh and play and he could love. But he was a businessman and business can be a hard cruel game. You can almost see the path he went down. Total idealism didn't work. Always seeing the good in people didn't work. You can get screwed in business that way. You need to learn healthy skepticism.
That deal the guy offers you might be good, but then again it might not. Be skeptical .. it helps you be careful. Be skeptical .. it protects you. Be skeptical .. it guards you against danger so you can protect yourself and your loved ones.
But somewhere Scrooge crossed the line. Instead of seeing the potential bad in life as a healthy skeptic should, he saw only bad in life. He became a cynic. His attitude was no longer protective, it was destructive. With only bad to look forward to, being on your guard is a waste of time .. you get careless. With only bad around you it is useless to try to have fun, to laugh, to love. You don't even make the attempt. Scrooge got a glimpse of all he lost and all that would be lost. He made a concerted effort to change. We never did find out if the change stuck, but I'm no cynic. I believe it did.
Cops are like Scrooge. They start out idealistic. But police work can be a cruel game. They must become skeptical. There is safety in skepticism. There is optimism in skepticism. The whole idea is that by being cautious, vigilant, and questioning one will make the right decisions. They will be safe. They will get to go home tonight.
But it does take work to be skeptical. Skepticism takes energy, constant evaluation, and constant analysis. Police work requires an immense amount of skepticism! Is it any wonder why police officers are susceptible to burnout? That burnout most often takes the form of cynicism .. the corruption of skepticism?
Cynicism is a coping mechanism that allows us to deal with the immense amount of stress and work it takes to be skeptical. Cynicism, by assuming that everything is unalterably negative, gives officers "permission" not to put the energy into each of the many situations he or she will have to face. Cynicism is easier than skepticism. But nowhere near as effective.
Cynicism is as dangerous for cops as it was for scrooge. Maybe more so .. no one was trying to shoot Scrooge. But here we are preparing for Christmas, perhaps one of the most sincere non-cynical times of the year. We know that it took the Christmas spirit to help Scrooge. Perhaps it is a good time for all cops (all people) to re-evaluate their own cynicism. Get back to basics! Be a SKEPTIC!
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