Can You Become Cynical If You Live Abroad?

In the fast-paced globalized world, it is essential to understand what are the significant factors that can affect a person if they decide to move abroad. There are a vast number of possibilities that change the living style of a person moving away from home. 

One of the most significant changes can include the transformation of the ideology of a person. However, can a person be able to change the thought process if they are no longer staying in their native state?

Can a person lose their identity if they start living elsewhere? Can you become cynical if you leave your home and moved abroad for studies? 

This article will look at both ancient and modern perspectives. Let us dive.

Definition in Ancient Times

Before understanding the impact of living abroad on human psychology, let us know what Cynicism is and how it affects our living away from home?

Cynicism or being cynical mean “believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.” or in other words, it is a belief that humans act purely on what they will benefit their interest and nothing else. It is essential to understand the crux and history of Cynicism to analyze its impact.

Also Read: How International Students Should Identify Sociopaths Abroad?

Cynicism was introduced around the time of Socrates, where an Athenian philosopher was considered mad and called a dog. For his belief of reasoning by human beings to act in their benefit.

After his time, various philosophers came with the idea of Skepticism and Epicurean-ism. It is believed that the teachings of Jesus might also have influenced the concept of Cynicism.

Definition in Modern Times

Cynicism in the contemporary world only refers to the doubts expressed in the motives and sincerity of human nature. It releases the pretensions of the ancient Cynicism and upholds only the cynic propensity.

The modern Cynicism does not bear the negativity and scorn of the classical era but argues the current motives and nature of the people. It is nothing but a moral protest against the hypocrisy of human beings in dealing with many issues. Thus, we need to understand in which sense an individual becomes cynical if they move abroad.

Are You Cynical?

From the Ancient Perspective

Following the old beliefs, if a person becomes isolated or stays away from interaction with society, they tend to develop cynical behaviour. For you, living in a new city or a new country can increase the possibilities of isolation from society since the people in the new country might not have the same ideals from your home country.

Living in isolation may decrease your trust in individuals, and you may start to question acts of people around you. You may also begin to categorize them, acting for their self-interest only. This may become a prominent reason for an individual becoming cynical.

However, some factors are leading to an individual becoming cynical. Complete isolation does not necessarily result in developing cynical behaviour. Also, an individual can be isolated in their native region and establish a cynical response. 

Also Read: Best Personality Traits for Success When Studying Abroad

Other factors that can make individual schooling abroad cynical are-

1.  The ideal of the country is similar to your models, and you can perfectly co-exist and interact with people from a foreign country. 
2. You are losing hope in human beings and their motives. This can be a result of not being able to connect with people because of a change in language, culture, and other essential aspects. Therefore, you don’t need to become cynical if you moved to a foreign land-based only on ancient beliefs.
3. No getting your way sometimes in cases you feel others are favoured.
4. being discriminated upon by people around
5. being bullied in school and authorities refusing to take necessary actions

From the Modern Perspective

Also, as per the contemporary terminology or current understanding, being cynical is only opposing an idea or a belief or a moral protest against the hypocrisy of human beings in public. Moving to a foreign land, one might educate themselves to new morals and thus protest the hypocrisy of people.

There are chances of a person sticking to their morals of the native land and still protesting the hypocrisy of individuals’ behaviour in public. In both cases, a person is deemed to be cynical. It is also essential to notice the morals that are protested, which makes being cynical a good thing for society. 

There are other cases, including where you can establish Cynicism in modern terms by developing new morals by moving abroad. The newly established Cynicism, however, can be opposing to the morals of the society.

Thus, being cynical can be considered an evil thing, just the same in the past. Moving to a foreign land can also conclude in establishing new beliefs and new morals. Therefore, opposing the ideals of the native that contradicts the new ideas can be another form of Cynicism as per the modern terminology of Cynicism. 

The modern definition does contradict the old beliefs in a similar sense. However, the crux of opposing the ideals and expectations of human nature is still a significant part of being a cynical even in modern times.

While the ancient times considered cynical beings as a shame to society, recent times look at calculated cynical being essential towards the progress of the new world.

Conclusion

Consequently, it is not confident that you, as an individual, will become a cynical being after you move abroad. Some factors determine for you becoming cynical. If these factors tick the possibilities, then you can be considered as a cynical being.

There is another argument about becoming cynical. It argues that developing Cynicism can also mean establishing new ideas, values, and morals in an individual’s life. Therefore, at times, it is considered that you becoming cynical is just educating yourself or learning/adapting to new values of the foreign land.

Considering the above possible reasoning, it can be clear that there is no clear way to determine if you become cynical after moving abroad. Thus, it is essential to let everything run its cause and enjoy the moments that relishes individuals.