Rather, intellectuals feel the obligation to strive to be informed about everything. This breadth of intellectual aspiration is the key. Apathy is simply unacceptable. And the dilemma of responsible action is minimized, as much as possible, by the imperative of keeping informed on all fronts. But it is also crucial because it squelches the cynicism that arises from narrow perspectives.
Cynicism often arises when each individual ignores the considerations that motivate others.
Without understanding why others oppose one's own honorable positions, these others seem to be dishonorable. This accounts, to a certain degree, for the cynicism that many environmentalists and cultural preservationists hold toward any initiative of economic development. If the role of intellectual forces environmental and cultural specialists to take economics into account, their cynicism is likely to diminish even if they stick to their value positions. Finally, the intellectual's breadth is an antidote to the temptation for professionals to burrow into the narrowness of their specialties, and to get their satisfaction out of accomplishments for and within the profession rather than for society. The problem arises when experts respond to professional rewards in ways that run counter to their societal missions.