Henry Rollins on cynicism
Posted Jun 28, 2011, 10:38 PM UTC
7427
5:35 the guy with the mohawk dead asleep.
11
Beat me to it. And I share his sentiment. This doesn't motivate me. It only sounds the rants of a narcissist with a huge ego.
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Don't forget, downvote me if you disagree. That's good reddiquette.
-7
You know, no, it isn't good reddiquette, but it's also not good reddiquette to complain about the downvotes.
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Please observe the motion I am making with my left hand. It resembles the same motion I use to jerk off.
-8
Started strong, but by the end I have no idea what the fuck he was trying to say.
10
I'm fairly certain he's bat shit insane. Not always, but I think its always brewing beneath the surface.
3
Yeah, it's a bit concerning what he was saying about how he hates life and that it is an existential nightmare for him, etc.
1
I think everything this man has done, from black flag on, has been motivational to me.
6
I might as well work so much and go hoppin' boppin' and poppin' all over the world, so hard in such a frenzied manner saying 'no' to no amount of amount of work that by shear friction my arms will burn off my torso.
-Henry Rollins
5
I'm derping over the grammar on this. Does 'no to no amount of work' = 'yes to any amount of work' ?
2
He still seems a bit cynical...
5
Yes his ego is huge, but he's a performer. His antidote to cynicism is realism: life sucks when you see it clearly, but there's enough good going on to make it worth it, and the only response that works is to live the hell out of life while you're here.
There's a Youtube clip of him in some (Brooklyn?) music store when somebody recognizes him and yells "Get in the van, man" and he kinda goes off on her for being a hipster. But he's Henry Rollins! How do you expect him to act, especially in public and on camera?
3
Here's the story of when his friend got shot to death in front of him
The "motivating" part is in the part 7, if you don't want to hear the story.
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Agreed. His style is like a chainsaw where a pen-knife would have sufficed, but I found it very engaging. For someone like me who isn't very cynical, it helped to see the pitfalls of the attitude more easily when it is blown up, like how math problems are easier to understand at the extreme cases.
3
It's like a TED talk
1
God, enough with Louis C... Waaaaaaaaaaaaait a second...
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I was right with him until the last few seconds...
1
Wow. I really needed that. Thanks. Also love the Conan one. Both are amazing.
1
Reminds me of this: Why Men Fail: The Hazards of Cynicism
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Well speaking of Rollins I would suggest listening to black flag/minor threat or similar bands and learning the lyrics and watching live videos of the bands so you can see the crowd and everyone else screaming along so you can listen to them and be like fuck yeah I'm awesome and then do what ever you want to do. For me good punk music helps motivate me.
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He reminds me so much of myself...I dunno if that's a good or bad thing...
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If he hates life that much he's doing it wrong.
-4
I believe that was his point.
2
Wrong. His point was that cynicism is ultimately the easy way out, and that it is worth trying to face a more nuanced reality instead. I actually agree with that part. I just took issue with his view that life should be seen as an adversary.
2
I much prefer conan's thoughts on cynicism
That's the most accurate comment I've heard in a long while.