Cynicism

Modern day cynicism is a not really cynicism. We are not “cynics” if we look, shop, eat, drink, live, consume, comment and “do” the same thing as everyone else. To be a Cynic and to practice the philosophy of cynicism required more than words- it required a real life change.

“Cynicism (Ancient Greek: κυνισμός) is a school of thought of ancient Greek philosophy as practiced by the Cynics (Ancient Greek: Κυνικοί; Latin: Cynici). For the Cynics, the purpose of life is to live in virtue, in agreement with nature. As reasoning creatures, people can gain happiness by rigorous training and by living in a way which is natural for themselves, rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, and fame. Instead, they were to lead a simple life free from all possessions.” Wikipedia

Interestingly enough, Paul addresses the cynic, along with the rest of us in Corinthians. “1If I speak in the tongues of human beings and of the angels, but do not have love, I have become resounding brass and a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophecy and know all the mysteries and all the knowledge,w and if I have all faith, of such a sort as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And if I distribute all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may be burned, and do not have love, I am profited nothing. 4Love is magnanimous, love is kind, is not envious, love does not boast, does not bluster, 5Does not act in an unseemly fashion, does not seek for things of its own, is not irascible, does not take account of the evil deed, 6Does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices with the truth; 7It tolerates all things, has faith in all things, hopes in all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails;”