Ramble the first
People glorify a sort of cynicism these days. This is, of course, overgeneralizing, but it's a trend that's hard not to notice. People think life is bad, that bad actions are needed to succeed. It's hard to disagree. Success, by the most commonly-held standards, requires selfishness. There are no billionaires who made their way to the top via charity, or kindness, or a sense of fair play. There are no politicians who have gained any measurable degree of power through their refusal to play nasty. Cruelty is rewarded. Deviousness is rewarded. The only defense needed against these vices is a competent PR rep who can convince enough people that your opponents are naive, or misguided, or simply wrong. Muddy the waters enough and it doesn't matter what lurks underneath. Perhaps things always were this way. Perhaps the view we have of the past -- when ideals would overcome pragmatism, on occasion -- is merely seen through a lens carefully crafted by those who wish to b...