I think there is a certain advantage to not playing by the rules of society.
A great example is our government system. Contracts, financing agreements, legal or medical documents, or even taxes, it's all just a system, and if one can understand it, and navigate it efficiently, then we can identify areas that don't need to be taken seriously, and basically just be prepared.
I think it's due to my time in China-- where almost every Chinese student is paying a company to write their applications to American universities, where businesses all around me are purchasing favors from government representatives to get ahead.
On one instance, I was helping a school to get parents to join by showing my face. I'm white, and so my friend-- who was an enterprising college student, would tell their parents that "we" are starting this school to teach English. It was good marketing, but she expressed concern that if she grew too large, bigger schools would pay the local police to come shut her down.
On another instance, I've seen expats forge fake degrees so that they could possess the right credentials for jobs, and foreign expert visas.
When two Chinese vehicle drivers get into an accident, they immediately call the highest government rep they know, and whoever has more influence will find the other at fault. If they run into a scooter, they will usually just give the injured cash on the spot, or even just drive off.
I don't think it's just China that has made my cynical. As you guys know, I was adopted when I was 2, and before then, I lived in foster homes. The doctors thought I was retarded when I was born because my biological mom did coke while I was in her tummy. As a result of this, I'm told that I lived the first two years of my life basically doing nothing. Sitting in high-chairs, and watching my siblings play. Then I was adopted. My new family was Christian, and they tried to tell me about god, and all that, but I never really believed it. I never had a real fear in god. It mostly played to my advantage because I could say "I swear to god", and everyone would believe me.
I also think I'm cynical because one must be cynical to truly understand human nature. We are taught about love, and all that, but I think Human nature is much more crude. We are all heroes of our own story. We all want to feel important, and expand our ego. We are nice to those who help us do that, and mean to those who do the opposite.
If you are ignorant, you go to meet a potential client, and have no idea what you will say, other than perhaps a sales pitch. If you understand things, though, you will already know that you will make them feel important. You will seek out their interests and engage them on those things, you will compliment and admire them, and in the end you will get a contract because Humans are idiots, and when you disassociate your ego, yourself, and focus only on your goal, you can become whatever is needed to accomplish your goals.
I think anyone who is cynical, will have less regard for rules. And I truly believe that you have to be cynical to excel in life.
It's not just cynicism though. One can understand things, but that means nothing unless that person wishes to manifest a new reality. I say manifest because that's what it is. Our minds build a virtual model of our reality in our heads. This model is the "universe" we know around us. We can then run simulations in this model to figure out ways to achieve a goal. The more accurate this model is, the better we can come up with plans to achieve our goals.
In this way, we manifest the new universe in our minds, and then bring that reality to life in the real world through our actions. If one has no will to manifest a new reality, then perhaps they will just get married, and live a hedonistic lifestyle.
I think that's why there must be a certain degree of narcissism in any individual who wishes to achieve a lot of success in life!
We are the result of our experiences, and thus through our decisions, we build ourselves by guiding our experiences. Someone who is driven toward a single long term goal, can, almost like a MMORPG character, customize their person, their personality, and their knowledge base to be exactly what is required to achieve the goal.
Without that underlying drive, I feel like a lot of Humans just become what evolution has dictated of them. Some examples! Pets. It is so easy for a cynic like myself to look at a pet, and see an animal which has evolved to unknowingly manipulate humans into loving them by taking advantage of the Human need to feel important, desired, and loved. Yet-- ask 90% of the Humans what they think of their pets, and they will absolutely love them. It doesn't matter to them.
Another great example... friends. We don't need friends. I have got along just fine the past couple years by having relationships with only my clients. The cultural idea that we must have friends is absolutely senseless. What are friends? People who we help feel important, and provide a means to expand their ego? Don't believe me? Just say their name. That makes them feel good. Ask them about their day. That will make them feel even more important! Humans only care about themselves, and when you give them attention, they will obviously like you for it. Does that make friendship this magical thing that we must maintain so that we may be "good people"? One can be aware of their underlying evolutionary need to feel companionship, and gain that feeling through more productive means than useless gossiping friends.
So... want to be successful? Ditch the friends, pets, sentiment, ego, and focus on your goals! 