Cynicism, Stoicism, And Epicureanism

During the Hellenistic Period of Ancient Greece history, philosophical ideas ran amok, and more affluent people of Greece began to study the teachings and attend lectures of philosophers. Three of the major philosophical systems were Cynicism, Stoicism, and Epicureanism. All three of these systems had the same goal, which was to answer the question “What is a good life?” To understand how each of the three systems answered this question, and to compare my personal life to one of the systems, it is imperative to first understand the main teachings of the philosophical system, and how the people who followed these systems behaved in society. People who practiced Cynicism lived a life of simplicity. Cynics taught to reject the wealth and materials of the world because true beauty was surrounding them in nature. Cynics believed that the people of the world were too wealthy. There was no need for status consumption that blocked any kind of beauty from the world. To cynics, this status consumption was proof that people will always want more. The fact that people would buy multiple items, but would have no use for them was ludicrous, and the reason why these people were always feeling void of something. When you always want more, you always feel void. Getting rid of the lust or wanting of things gets rid of that void, and allows you to see the beauty of the world. Cynics disdained from luxury or comfort and lived life “like a dog,” which is the literal meaning of cynic. Cynics …show more content…
Cynicism, Epicureanism, and Stoicism can all be found in the modern western world today. Although there is no definite answer to the question “What is the good life?” understanding the teachings of the three systems, and the way the people of the three systems behaved in society, can help to better understand the way that these systems appear in the lives of humans