maybe i'm the cynic.

Is Douglas Coupland cynical?

Perhaps. As noted by Ogden, a strong case exists for the opposite; that Douglas Coupland is truly anti-cynical. Let's look at the text.

At the closing of the novel, Reg contemplates his unwavering belief in god, though he admits that it may not even be belief in the truest sense of the word. Reg even states that his belief could be summed up by an "insurance equation" that could inform him which is easier to live with (243); to believe or to dis-believe. How hoping that that notion is not true cannot be a cynical state of mind is beyond me.

If, in fact, this is an example of Douglas Coupland self-referencing himself in the novel, then it is without a doubt evident that he is a cynical being! What could be more cynical than allowing a third party (in this case, a theoretical mathematical equation) to decide your belief system?