CITIZEN MODERN

The Arkansas Past Times: A Note from the Editor

Unfortunately, we live in interesting times. And cynicism may sound taboo DUE TO the cliches, but it isn’t the same as being a pessimist.

by benjamin harrison

You hear it often enough—a person disenchanted with the political system shares their skepticism about those in power, and someone hurls out this cliché: “Just don’t become cynical.”

I’d say it’s well-meaning, but is it really? Isn’t this phrase, in fact, a way for deluded people to protect themselves from the truth by shaming others out of facing reality?

Sometimes, it is well-meaning, if not ignorant. Keep hoping, keep dreaming, just don’t start believing the whole hierarchical power structure is rotten down to its core.

Part of this resistance to cynicism is tied to the usual argument: this is the best of all possible systems. And if we don’t have that, what in hell would we do?

Cynicism, in this sense, isn’t about giving up on change; it’s about giving up the illusion that someone else will fix things for us. It’s the understanding that no one with power will solve our problems because their interests aren’t the same as ours.

Cynicism, then, is the precursor to citizenship. It’s about taking matters into your own hands—working with your community to solve problems yourselves.

A city should serve the interests of its citizens, not its elites. And when ordinary people take responsibility for their communities, when they build systems that meet their needs instead of waiting for someone in power to do it for them, that’s when real citizenship begins.

In 2019, I went on a date with someone who worked in healthcare research, particularly focused on HIV. I asked if she thought pharmaceutical companies might withhold life-saving drugs if it were more profitable to treat diseases long-term.

She confidently assured me that no, these companies would release new drugs as soon as they were available—it was in their best interest.

I’ve had many conversations of this nature. Others hold onto the belief that government officials or business leaders have good ethical hygiene, as I consistently question those in power. Unfortunately, I’m usually right.

In 2021, it came to light that Gilead Sciences, a pharmaceutical giant, had withheld a safer HIV drug, tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), while continuing to sell an older, more dangerous version, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), to maximize profits. This decision put patients at unnecessary risk, all in the name of earnings reports​.

Experiences like this highlight the necessity of cynicism and have shaped my understanding of politics. They’re why CITIZEN:MODERN exists.

Unfortunately, we live in interesting times. And cynicism may sound taboo because of the cliches, but it isn’t the same as being a pessimist. It’s not hopelessness; it’s the knowledge that hoping without clear understanding and subsequent action is mere denial.

The modern citizen is, by necessity, a cynical one. Whether it's local leaders pushing for more militarized police and surveillance under the banner of “public safety,” or corporations holding back life-saving medication to meet quarterly goals, we bear witness to the harsh reality of a political system designed to serve the few at the expense of the many.

CITIZEN:MODERN exists because we can’t afford to keep trusting this power dynamic. Cynicism is the starting line. It’s not just doubt but a full recognition of the reality we live in—that those with power act in their own interests, and those interests rarely serve the public good.

To build a future where our communities—where we—take care of each other and confront climate change and inequality head-on, we must begin with cynicism. We must stop trusting a system that values wealth and status over human lives.

I started CITIZEN:MODERN to be a voice for that kind of political realism. And if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll join me. The future depends on it.

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