Cynics

One of the lovely things of having afternoons free is the time to read and educate oneself. Currently Rathmines library is closed for renovations. I feel if it were open, I would get around the reading much more because I could retreat there for the afternoon. At any rate, I have managed to complete Cynics written by William Desmond. It was easy to read because it is so well-written. It is gently humorous, brimful of arguments and thoughts on all sides of the fence, and informative.

Cynicism - if I am to understand correctly and summarise here - is a (loose) philosophical movement. They lived in the moment. Surviving on basic requirements - food from bushes, a cloth covering, shelter in caves... They didn't have an organised religion, didn't believe in the politics of city/state/Athens or in marital and familial relations.

I think they took it a step too far. It's all very well to choose to be a recluse and an outcast in society but it's not everyone's cup of tea!

The greatest thing I took from reading the book is that other people in other civilisations and at other times also questioned society's routines and habits and made a life for themselves outside of that.