173: Diogenes - Live on Your Own Terms (Without Worrying About Money or Status) (Cynicism)

In this podcast we will be talking about 5 ways to live on your own terms from the philosophy of Diogenes. Diogenes was a 4th-century philosopher and the most famous face of Cynicism.

So here are 5 ways to live on your own terms from the philosophy of Diogenes.
01. Deface the Currency
02. Practice Autarkeia
03. Be brutally honest
04. Be Shameless
05. Practice Askēsis
Hope you enjoyed this podcast and find these insights on how to live on your own terms helpful.

Diogenes was a 4th-century philosopher and the most famous face of Cynicism. Today, "cynical" means being negative, but the original Cynics, named after the Greek word for “dog-like”, believing that happiness came from living "according to nature." This meant stripping away rules, status, and the material needs society forces on us today. He practiced this himself, famously living in a ceramic jar, eating simple lentils, and even throwing away his only bowl when he saw a child drinking from their hands. His radical freedom was put to the test when he was captured by pirates and sold at a slave auction. While other captives wept, Diogenes mocked the pirates for not "fattening him up" for a better price. On the auction block, when asked what he could do, he told the crowd: "I know how to govern men. Sell me to someone who needs a master." He pointed to a man named Xeniades and said, "Sell me to him." Xeniades was so intrigued that he bought him and eventually put him in charge of his house and his children’s education. Instead of teaching them to chase status, Diogenes taught them to wear plain clothes, walk barefoot, and value philosophy over wealth. Xeniades was so impressed he said, "A good spirit has entered my house." Diogenes spent the rest of his life proving that even in chains, if you want nothing from the world, the world has no power over you.