Yes, Kat, I see your point about the laziness of the word cynical. And you're right. The fact that John Currin is a cynical motherfucker does not make his paintings any less weird or interesting or surprising to me. And you are right. I don't find Thomas Kinkade any less cynical than John Currin.

And I also agree with your larger point, that cynicism itself is social awareness and a willingness to exploit that often creates good art.

And for that matter, I don't necessarily want art to be fair, kind, accessible, or any of the other qualities that I value in people.

I do like Currin's work even though it is rooted in an extreme cynicism, is often sexist, relies an awful lot on art-historical inside jokes, and for that matter is often bad painting. I like it because it's endeavoring to do something to me. Because it's manipulative. Because it catches me in a human moment, loving the experience of looking at things I shouldn't like.

Currin's work wouldn't work if it weren't cynical.

So what's the next step, Kat? Lead us to the precise place...