Cynical?

Received the following reply to my Blog “What’s the Motive?” “Hi Walter: It’s an interesting question isn’t it? I suppose most people would immediately think ‘What has he done wrong?’ This is most likely due to the fact that we become cynical from the workplace. I always remember I was doing a big quote for a Defence Dept. contract and one of the fellows asked me if I would like him to help me by photocopying the various pages and my first thought was, ‘What favour does he want?’
The poor guy in that article you quoted was probably only trying to be helpful but then so often if we do that, we are told that we didn’t do it right,(which is probably right because we don’t think the same way). When that occurs we tend to think, ‘well I’ll leave it for her next time.’ CYNICAL? You bet it is and there lies the problem. That’s my say, ****”
The above reply inspires two different thoughts doesn’t it?
1. Are we in fact too cynical? And, 2. Do we only want free help if they will do it our way and not their own way?
I am not going to comment on either just now, but will leave this with you for a while for your responses. Are you in fact too cynical, or simply cautious after having been burnt before? And, are we right to both reject offered help that doesn’t reach our standards, but still complain that no one will help us, when we rejected their previous offers?
Your thoughts please? Walter