A man, a plan, a kidney

Our parents will never escape being called baby boomers. Neither will Generation Xers. But so far our generation has not received one fixed label. Try this on for size: "The Simpsons Generation," coined by Chris Turner in the on-line magazine Shift last year, honoring the popular television show for the way its cynical humor captures the sensibilities of our time.\nUpon reflection, one can't help but think there may be something to Turner's idea. Think of the mouthy kids in sitcom families or the snide tone of popular music. Think of the irony of David Letterman or the satire of The Onion. Think of our distrust for the government, our distaste for our society and our dissatisfaction with ourselves. \nTo its credit, cynicism steers clear of naïveté, being mindful of both the world's problems and the difficulty of solving those problems. Moreover, cynical humor is often quite winning. The cultural commentary of "The Simpsons" is consistently astute and funny, and Onion articles such as "Fairy-Princess Ranks Depleting as Girls Aspire to be Doctors, Lawyers" are hilarious. But one danger of pervasive, reflexive cynicism is that we will be so geared to look for objects of scorn that we won't appreciate pieces of good news when they arise. \nIn July, a Philadelphia man named Zell Kravinsky, having already given away nearly all of his $45 million real estate fortune, donated one of his kidneys to a stranger in need. Kravinsky wanted to increase organ donations and felt that, since he could get by on just one kidney, donating the other "was the moral thing to do." The recipient of his kidney called Kravinsky "the most selfless and humble person" she had ever met.\nBut not everyone approved of his decision. He was rejected by two hospitals before a third agreed to perform the surgery and then only after subjecting him to a battery of psychiatric tests. His parents objected, and his wife threatened divorce.\nSome observers questioned the wisdom of Kravinsky's decision, suggesting he should have shown more consideration for the future well-being of his immediate family. Such questions could be legitimate, but the tone of some of the criticism betrays jaded cynicism rather than sincere concern. A writer wonders if he is a "heartless lunatic," and in Internet discussion groups, one finds comments calling Kravinsky an "insane" guy who has only been "guilt-tripped" into giving away a kidney.\nOne hopes Kravinsky's motives were as sane and altruistic as possible and that the tension in his relationships eases. But at least his act granted someone health and life. The cynicism directed toward his act contributes nothing constructive to anyone.\nFor cynicism, at its heart, is rooted in powerlessness. Joe Sartelle wrote in the on-line magazine Bad Subjects that cynicism attempts to compensate for the pain of living in a society that repeatedly betrays its ideals with "the false empowerment of a feeling of superiority. 'Sure, it's all a lie, and I'm being used and sold out, and all efforts to change things will just fail or make new problems, but at least I know it!'" \nTwisting our faces into sneers is a problem if we let ourselves get stuck that way. Cynicism provides a reaffirmation of apathy and an excuse for defeatism. It mocks the injustice of the world but, by failing to tackle that injustice, remains complicit in it.\nDon't allow cynicism to blind you to all the good in the world, and don't allow it to cripple you from adding to that stock of good yourself.