Contrary to popular belief of its definition, around 445 BC the philosophical ‘school’ – although to call it such is not strictly accurate – of Cynicism, one of many Socratic schools, was born. As with so many liberal philosophical theories, its basic tenet is that to live a virtuous life is to live it in accordance with nature, characterised by reason, self-sufficiency and freedom. However, social conventions compromise one’s freedom by dictating codes of conduct contrary to nature and reason. As a result, Cynics rejected all conventions be they religion, relationships, manners, housing, routine, and the rest! This rejection is what has led to the contemporary misinterpretation of the word. Rejection of the status quo resulted in a perceived negativity from others encompassing distrust, sarcasm, bitterness etc.
Cynics believed that one could only be truly freed once they had discarded these socially corrupting conventions. They advocated practice over theory, and as a result very few texts from original Cynics still exist, if they ever did, so most ‘teachings’ come through the medium of anecdotes relating to stories of their lives.
There are competing stories over the origin of the name and the founder of the school, but by far the most interesting version is that of Diogenes of Sinope. One version of the name’s origin claims it to come from the Ancient Greek word ‘Cynosarges’, thought to mean ‘white dog’, ‘dog’s meat’, or even ‘quick dog’. Diogenes was well-known throughout Athens for his doglike behaviour, and as a result the name Cynicism is thought to come from this.
Son of banker, Diogenes grew up in Sinope, but at some unknown time both father and son were exhiled from the city over a scandal involving the defacement of the currency. In his new home of Athens, Diogenes made it his life’s mission to deface the coinage of custom, which he believed to be the false coin of human morality. Instead of being troubled by what is really evil, people make a big fuss over what is merely conventionally evil.
Some of the best anecdotes relating to Diogenes’ life truly depict his hatred for the socially imposed conventions that so shape humans. It is said that he lived in a barrel in the middle of Athens with nothing but a robe and his sleeping place to his name. He once owned a mug for drinking out of, but after seeing a child drinking from cupped hands, he discarded this also. From time to time he would roam the markets in Athens holding a lamp above his head, and when asked what he was doing he would reply, ‘I am looking for an honest man!’
Seeing no reason why not, as such a sexual desire is familiar to all of us, as are our reproductive organs, he decided he would masturbate in public. When scalded for performing such an obscene act, his reply was, ‘If only I could cure my hunger by rubbing my belly.’
One morning he was sun bathing naked on a hill, enjoying the warm rays of the sun, when Alexander the Great approached him asking, ‘Is it true that you are the famous Diogenes? He who desires nothing, lives in accordance with nature and is ultimately happy?’ Diogenes waited for a moment before calmly replying, ‘That’s not entirely true, for a do desire you to get out of my sun!’

Anyway, Cynicism is thought by many historians to be the origins of Anarchism, but that’s not nearly as interesting as Diogenes!