Diogenes of Sinope lived in a barrel, owned almost nothing, and told Alexander the Great to step out of his sunlight. He was not being rude for its own sake. He was making a point: virtue lies in living according to nature, not convention. The Cynics rejected wealth, reputation, and social norms as obstacles to a good life. The name comes from the Greek kynikos, meaning dog-like, probably because they lived and behaved in ways that scandalized polite society.

Cynicism is not modern cynicism. The ancient Cynics were not disillusioned or bitter. They were committed to a radical form of self-sufficiency. Antisthenes, a student of Socrates, founded the school. Diogenes became its most famous figure. Crates gave away his fortune to live as a beggar. The Cynics used humor, shock, and public stunts to expose hypocrisy. They influenced Stoicism, which adopted their emphasis on virtue and self-control while softening their rejection of society.

Cynic principles

• Virtue is the only good. Everything else is indifferent.
• Live according to nature. Reject artificial conventions.
• Self-sufficiency. Depend on as little as possible.
• Freedom of speech. Speak honestly, regardless of consequences.

Modern cynicism, by contrast, is a distrust of others' motives. The ancient version was a demanding ethical stance, not a mood.