Neo Cynics

Philosophycal definition, not contemporary one.

First of all when talking cynics it is not the current miss-used synonym off pessimism-nihilism I have in mind. I talk here about the philosophycal definition.

What where Cynics ?

You can read the wikipedia article, from witch I copied large parts in the following.

I’am sure that, as always, this is not a perfectly accurate source, but it will be enough for what we are doing here.

Origin of the name

There are four reasons why the Cynics are so named.

• First because of the indifference of their way of life, for they make a cult of indifference and, like dogs, eat and make love in public, go barefoot, and sleep in tubs and at crossroads.
• The second reason is that the dog is a shameless animal, and they make a cult of shamelessness, not as being beneath modesty, but as superior to it.
• The third reason is that the dog is a good guard, and they guard the tenets of their philosophy.
• The fourth reason is that the dog is a discriminating animal which can distinguish between its friends and enemies. So do they recognize as friends those who are suited to philosophy, and receive them kindly, while those unfitted they drive away, like dogs, by barking at them.

Key principles

Cynicism claimed to offer people the possibility of happiness and freedom from suffering in an age of uncertainty.

The fundamental principles of Cynicism where as follows:

• The goal of life is eudaimonia and mental clarity or lucidity (ἁτυφια, atuphia)—literally “freedom from smoke (τύφος, tuphos)” which signified false belief, mindlessness, folly, and conceit.
• Eudaimonia, or human flourishing, depends on self-sufficiency (αὐτάρκεια, autarkeia), equanimity, arete, love of humanity, parrhesia, and indifference to the vicissitudes of life (adiaphora ἁδιαφορία).
• Eudaimonia is achieved by living in accord with Nature as understood by human reason.
• Arrogance (τύφος) is caused by false judgments of value, which cause negative emotions, unnatural desires, and a vicious character.
• One progresses towards flourishing and clarity through ascetic practices (ἄσκησις, áskēsis) which help one become free from influences such as wealth, fame, and power which have no value in Nature. Instead they promoted living a life of ponos. For the Cynics, this did not seem to mean actual physical work it rather means deliberately choosing a hard life—for instance, living in the streets, wearing only a thin cloak and going barefoot in winter.
• A Cynic practices shamelessness or impudence (Αναιδεια, Anaideia) and defaces the nomos of society: the laws, customs, and social conventions that people take for granted.
• A Cynic has no property and rejects all conventional values of money, fame, power and reputation.
• A Cynic way of life required continuous training, not just in exercising judgments and mental impressions, but a physical training as well.
• A Cynic is no monk and would not retreat from society, on the contrary they lived in the full glare of the public’s gaze and be quite indifferent in the face of any insults which might result from their unconventional behaviour. 
• The Cynics are said to have invented the idea of cosmopolitanism: when he was asked where he came from, Diogenes replied that he was “a citizen of the world, (kosmopolitês).”
• The ideal Cynic would evangelise; as the watchdog of humanity, they thought it was their duty to hound people about the error of their ways, and with the use of the Cynic’s biting satire) would dig up and expose the pretensions which lay at the root of everyday conventions.

Main historical Cynics

Antisthenes

Diogenes

Crates of Thebes

What I propose neocynics to be

The Goal

Hapiness through mental clarity.

The way to achieve it

• Self-sufficiency.
• Live close to nature.
• Reject all conventional values of money, fame, power and reputation.
• Ascetic practices.
• Refusal to comply to stupid rules. (Fuck the societal norm.) (Shame is a social behavior control tool.)
• Perpetual hooning of mind and body.
• Live among men, be a living proof of their folly, tell them harshly if needed, that they are the crazy ones.
• Reject, attachements to states / country.
• Guarding our principles.
• Distinguished between friend and foe.