one of the best books about cynicism ever written. captures the idea that no matter how much you want to believe that cynicism (and its sister decadence) is an end in itself, it's not. that you have to pay attention and involve yourself with other people and even depend on those other people. and that cynicism has a place in all that - sometimes you have to harden yourself to survive - but there are points at which you must drop the facade and let yourself feel, or you're left with nothing to show for your life.

good book. a revelatory experience (as though you couldn't tell).