> To think that the only people who are not cynical / angry are those that are avoiding the "real problems" (in what/ whose definition?).

That's not my point. I am saying that in a business environment, when there's one person in a group that is pissed, disagreeing, or somehow pissing on the happy-go-lucky parade, that person is usually right. Why? Beause pissing on the parade is always more risky and difficult than taking the path of least resistance (which is just shutting up and accepting the status quo.) So, they wouldn't be doing it unless they really had to.