Although the original idea of the Cynics was started by Antisthenes, a disciple of Socrates, it was fully developed by his pupil Diogenes. He was the son of a disreputable money changer imprisoned for defacing the coinage. Diogenes ambition was to deface all “coinage” or values imposed by the establishment. He rejected all accepted values and chose to live like a dog, from which the term Cynic is derived. He rejected all conventions of religion, manners, dress, housing, food and decency. He lived in a large pitcher and begged for a living.
His objective was freedom from desire of worldly goods and man made artefacts, which were therefore regarded as worthless. He declared brotherhood with animals.
He was a contemporary of Aristotle, the last of the “cheerful” philosophers, and became the first of the “pessimists” – the world is bad so learn to reject it and be independent. This viewpoint was a consequence of the invasion and occupation of Greece, and became particularly fashionable in 290 BC – it was silly to be patriotic, or to mourn the death of friends and family.
Although the doctrine placed no value on worldly goods, it did not propose abstinence – charity or loans were accepted without any feeling of obligation in return.
The doctrine does not lead to art, science or statesmanship.
The best parts of the Cynics doctrine passed over to Stoicism – a more complete and rounded philosophy