Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Best of the Cynics: The Lives, Writings & Teachings of the Ancient Cynics

The Best of the Cynics: The Lives, Writings & Teachings of the Ancient Cynics

Ancient Cynics
The Classics Cave

Paperback

Philosophy

ISBN10: 1943915326
ISBN13: 9781943915323
Publisher: Lightning Source Inc
Published: Jul 30 2021
Pages: 242
Weight: 0.69
Height: 0.55 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
The Best of the Cynics presents most of what remains of the ancient Greek Cynics. But who were the Cynics? And what is Cynicism?

Cynicism is not what you think it is. It's not something negative, pessimistic, or bitter-not the ancient sort, anyway. Not exactly.

Beginning with Antisthenes and Diogenes, the ancient Greek Cynics and their philosophy influenced the Greek and Roman worlds for nearly a millennium. What they had to offer was a radical way of life. An intense practice. Theirs was a way to train in order to face the desires that plague us and endure the suffering we humans must inevitably encounter.

What did the Cynics hope to accomplish? They wished to live a life in accord with nature, a virtuous life, one characterized by self-control, self-sufficiency, and simplicity. They wanted to be free-to speak freely, to challenge conventions. They hoped to be as shameless as a dog-and yes, as happy as a dog, too.

Ancient Cynicism held out the possibility of a better life, a way to live well. But it wasn't a life for the wavering or fainthearted. Rather, as they portrayed it, their path was a shortcut to the heights. Diogenes of Sinope put it this way: I . . . chose the steep and troublesome path-for the man speeding on to happiness must go on even if it is through fire and sword.

The Best of the Cynics presents most of what remains of the ancient Cynics-what they wrote and what others wrote about them. It begins with an informative introduction and ends with a ten-point Cynic Plan of Life and three exercises for practice, along with Other Matters of Interest Related to the Cynics, including a cast of significant Cynics, a map, a glossary of pertinent Greek terms, and suggestions for further reading.

If you are new to the Cynics and Cynicism, you will come away fully understanding what their philosophy and way of life was all about. If you are already familiar with them, we hope The Best of the Cynics will shed new light on what you know. If nothing else, you'll see how the Cynics and their way of life are still relevant today.

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