The Cynics

I've found myself dwelling on happiness a lot lately. I'm pondering what my doctor said the other night.. that i'm not happy myself right now. How can i find the true happiness? How it can be achieved?

Glad i've been reading this book Sophie's world and loving every word of it, intelligent and thoughtful. It helps me much rethinking deeply about anything. Now we're going to look at four these philosophical trends about finding the true happiness based on Hellenistic philosophy.. #1 The Cynics #2 The Stoics #3 The Epicureans #4 The Neoplatonism

Now i only want to share about the Cynics one

#1 The Cynics

The Cynics emphasized that true happiness is not found in external advantages such as material luxury, political power, or good health. True happiness lies in not being dependent on such random and fleeting things. Because happiness does not consist in benefits of this kind, it is within everyone's reach. Moreover, once been attained, it can never be lost.

The best known of the Cynics was Diogenes who reputedly lived in a barrel and owned nothing but a cloak, a stick, and a bread bag. One day he was sitting beside his barrel enjoying the sun, he was visited by Alexander the Great. The emperor stood before him and asked it there was anything he could do for him. Was there anything he desired? 'Yes', Diogenes replied. 'Stand one side. You're blocking the sun.' Thus Diogenes showed that he was no less happy and rich than the great man before him. He already had everything he desired. ;) ;) ;)

The Cynics believed that people did not need to be concerned about their own health. Even suffering and death should not disturb them. Nor should they let themselves be tormented by concern for other people's woes.

Moral of the story: easy.. don't worry be happy, just go on with our lives, happines is in our hand already and it's a matter of how we appreciate it. Realizing the fact that i'm much worried about my life now and what i'm going to do with it, i do really need to.. stop. slow down. take a deep deep breathe. and take it easy. easy. easy. as easy as one two three

*self hypnotizing* whoooosaaaaahhhhhh!

Source:

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder