Ancient Cynicism vs. Modern cynicism. – The two are different, thus when referring to ancient Cynicism, scholars would capitalize a capital “C”. 

A modern cynic is generally an individual who thinks pessimistically about human beings and existence in general. Life for the modern cynic would be better if it never happened at all. 

An ancient Cynic also has a low opinion of human beings. They believe that most people are lazy, vain, ignorant, and blindly obedient, yet even in maintaining such a view of humanity, the ancient Cynic was not pessimistic about life itself. 

Rather ancient Cynics believed that each individual has the power to transform their lives so as to achieve freedom, self-sufficiency, and happiness. 

A man once said to Diogenes that life was evil, Diogenes corrected him saying “Not life itself, but living an evil life.”. 

Diogenes believed practically all individuals were immersed in an evil life.

Diogenes believed that he was not as he was an autonomous individual, that he alone was free, self-sufficient, and happy. An individual that has shaken off all social constraints, and lived according to his own self generated internal laws and ideals. 

Because of this, he considered himself a king among men. Which is strange because he begged for his food, was homeless, and owned barely anything. 

Although Diogenes claimed to have attained the knowledge of how one lives the proverbial “good life”. He never expressed this knowledge by writing an expansive ethical system. He primarily expressed his ideas through his actions and conversations. (He walked away once when a group of philosophers were arguing whether or not motion existed or not). 

It is pointless to concern one’s self with metaphysical speculation. Instead, the only concern one should have should be with the concrete here and now. And philosophy should be concerned only with the present moment. 

Diogenes treated others with the disrespect they thought they deserve. One day when a few people were throwing bones at him as they would a dog, he got up and urinated on them. 

He said that if the human race should go extinct there should be as much cause for regret, as there should be if flies and wapss should pass away. He even tried to accelerate the extinction of mankind. 

Diogenes did not think that Human Nature is the cause of Human depravity which permeates mankind. He believes human beings are by nature good and virtuous, but that they are corrupted by the artificial social norms, customs, and practices inculcated into them via the process of socialization. 

Diogenes made it his life’s mission to debase the artificial social norms, practices, and values by displaying how ridiculous and arbitrary they are. 

The goals that individuals strive for and the flurry of activities they engage in to achieve these goals are “Sisyphean” tasks. Meaningless and pointless.

Diogenes claims the purposes of his multiples attacks against established norms, was to help individuals break free from the chains of social constraints so as to enable people to live a happy and free life.

Live according to nature. Happiness cannot be attained by satiating the desires driving into one via socialization. Such as the desire for wealth, social status, and power, but instead by living simply in the current moment, and by embracing the simple pleasure that the natural world has to offer. 

Diogenes intentionally sought out pain and suffering, as part of his training to be happy. 

Diogenes practices being refused, and often rolled around in hot sand, or walked barefoot in the snow. 

By seeking out and enduring pain and hardship, he was actually living the most pleasurable life possible. “The scorn of pleasure is the greatest pleasure”. 

Seneca once said “Diogenes acted in such a way that he could not be robbed of anything, for he freed himself from everything that is fortuitous. It appears to me as if he said: “Concern yourself with your own business, Oh Fate, for there is nothing in Diogenes that belongs to you.