I don't know that I would say that the internet has made people either more cynical or more hopeful per se. I think that the internet has made people, especially young people, less innocent. I also think it has enabled people to become more voyeuristic, to want more instant gratification. I think the internet has forever changed the face of dating, and I think you could argue both positive and negative perspectives on that.

That said, if forced to argue for hopefulness versus cynicism, I would argue that this in someway depends on who you are. For example, for those protesting in Iran, the internet became a way to spread their message and news about protests and demonstrations. Without the interwebs, odds are much of the world would never have known about the protests or they might not have even happened. For some Americans, however, constant information about the falling economy, mass shootings, failing Iraq war, rising foreclosures, increasing unemployment, etc., etc., etc. can be said to have increased their feelings of despair and feelings of hopelessness about the world.

I think it all depends on how you consume and interpret the available information.

Yes.

Yes it has made people more cynical, like me. I seem to find all the horror stories regarding bad relationships, bad customer service representatives, etc...part of my "edge" is being able to instantly ascertain the bad things then plan an appropriate response to them. However, turning that "edge" off is absolutely mandatory if I ever want to develop and maintain any relationship outside of a professional environment.

Yes, it has also given hope to some as well. When I first started using the internet as a tool back in 1993, I used it to find people who shared similar interests via IRC. Eventually, that grew further into online gaming, MMORPG's, Second Life, etc. If you're patient and helpful, you meet more of the same online. If you're a (jerk) online, you encourage (flame bait) others to attack you as well.

The anonymity online is actually a good thing for me because of my previous careers. I was an administrator / investigator and would routinely be blamed for another person's lack of correct life choices - simply because my investigation would turn that person up as the prime suspect / perpetrator. Having my real name and address available on the internet is just an open invitation saying "come to my home, vandalize it, destroy my car...'.

Both.. I have watched people react to it either way...
For me personally it has made me more hopeful.. there are times in my life I could have never saw light in the dark without my friends from the internet being there for me offering hope.. I also know I was the light to many.. who were suicidal at times... who came to me and I helped them find their courage and dispell fears into getting professional help, through hotlines, or counciling, or therapy.. as well was was the ear they vented to when they needed a caring heart in their lives.

But, also the Internet helps dispell unneeded fears helps bring more information and can bring out in a person either the best or the worse..

So it depends on the person really and how they use the internet, and what they choose to allow to influence them or not through it.

For me I have had good and bad experiences on the internet. My hopeful experience was when I was looking into my family's history hoping to find anything out about my Great Grandparents who died before I was ever born, who lived in another state. I found a distant relative who had the bible pages and photos of my Great Grandparents that I did not have. Luck maybe but it uplifted me that I had found someone who had that information who married into the family, one of many marriages for a Great Uncle. It meant alot to the whole family. She also told us where the foundation of their old farm was.The best thing that has ever happened to me on the internet.