The word derives from Cynicism, a school of philosophy which first appeared in Ancient Greece. In fact, the word ‘cynical’ has long and ancient etymological roots. In other words, if somebody describes you as cynical, then it isn’t really much of a compliment! However, the term hasn’t always carried such negative overtones. Today, the term ‘cynical’ means something along the lines of ‘motivated by self-interest’ and/or ‘mistrusting of people and their intentions’. The Meaning of the Term ‘Cynicism’ Has Changed Over the Centuries Alexander visiting Diogenes, late 18th–early 19th century, author unknown, via the Met Museum. The four walls and roof of a regular house were luxuries he could easily forego.Ģ. He found a large clay wine jar to shelter inside and quickly realized that he could live in the jar quite comfortably. But when the friend failed to respond to his letter, Diogenes simply roamed the streets. He was banished from the city for defacing coins, and arrived in Athens with no prospects and nowhere to stay.Īccording to one source, Diogenes wrote to a friend of his and asked if they knew of any available accommodation in Athens. He was supposedly one of Antisthenes’ first pupils, eventually dedicating his entire life to the practice of Cynicism.ĭiogenes began this process when he first arrived in Athens after being exiled from his home town of Sinope (a coastal city in modern day Turkey). Diogenes was likely born around 404 BC and died in 320 BC. Only a few scraps of information exist today, but we can still piece together some of his biography. Most of what we know about Diogenes comes from later philosophers who didn’t know him during his lifetime. Diogenes of Sinope Was a Strange Man Diogenes by John William Waterhouse

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