Neo-Cynicism and the Modern World
When Diogenes of Sinope wandered the Ancient Greek landscape, his world was one of even greater chaos than our own. He rebelled against the norms of the day, in rejection of nascent western civilization. Today, his ideals hold true under different, more restrictive circumstances than during his lifetime. While the globe falls into panic over the Coronavirus pandemic, many seek an escape from the societal standards that, mere weeks ago, seemed to be near-universally accepted. However, such standards today are artificial, just as they were in Diogenes’ time. A modern turn towards Cynicism may be our best hope to reclaim some sense of stability in an increasingly unstable world.
Cynicism as an ideology arose from the pointed and eccentric behavior of Diogenes of Sinope. His beliefs were evident in his willful evasion of social norms, including publicly relieving bodily functions, living in a barrel, and keeping the company of street dogs. His ascetic lifestyle was captivating to a subset of Greek philosophers, and out of it came the philosophy of Stoicism. However, where Stoicism found certain norms and societal standards natural, acceptable, and even moral, Cynicism was based on the principle that society itself was unnatural and forcing any individual to participate was therefore a crime against nature.
Modern theories of Anarchism hold that “Free and Fair Association” is the ideal societal rule: it allows freedom of movement without forcing participation. American Libertarianism follows a similar concept in the “Non-Aggression Principle.” Both of these concepts are fundamentally related to Diogenes’ philosophy. The natural order being the collection of humans together (as herd animals), anything that regulates this natural order must inherently be unnatural. Likewise, by seeking a freer lifestyle and the principles of equality, humans are acting in our natural interest. The State, however, actively works against this principle in many of its actions.
A State, as we presently understand it, is a social system of collecting resources, re-distributing them, and regulating the land, people, and groups that fall within its borders. When the State acts against the principles of nature, it may be considered immoral from a Cynical standpoint. This includes imposing regulations that do not directly aid the principles of nature, theft of resources for unnatural uses, and the imposition of State violence. When the State makes one unable to enjoy their natural lifestyle, takes from them the fruits of their labor without reason, or utilizes violence to control the populace, it demonstrates the need for a return to Cynicism as Diogenes practiced it.
Neo-Cynicism is the philosophy of rejecting modern social norms in favor of natural norms. The Neo-Cynic makes it their goal to undermine the hypocrisy at the core of modern living. The structures of society are subject only to the forces that build or destroy them. When we fail to destroy unstable or harmful structures, we instead aid them in their building. Neo-Cynicism is, therefore, a philosophy of breaking the harmful (unnatural) structures of society, that a freer world may emerge afterwards. We need only look to one of history’s strangest thinkers to see that, in an absurd society, the best response may be a return to the rules of nature.
