The contemporary definition of cynicism is a distrust of others and, generally, a chronically fatalistic outlook on life. In antiquity, however, the concept of cynical philosophy was quite different. Cynical philosophers promoted the idea of harmony with nature and reality. They called for a rejection of all man-made wealth and powers, eschewing the desire for fame and sex, and living a life free of materialism. A student of Socrates, Antisthenes, is credited with being the first cynical philosopher, but he was soon followed by others, perhaps most radically by Diogenes, who lived in a tub on the streets of Athens. As antiquity faded and passed, cynical philosophy focused too much on the negative aspects of humanity, soon giving way to its modern interpretation, as rejecting materialism shone a light on the inherent greed and amorality of the human condition.
