Download or read book The Chronicles of a Cynic written by Christian M. Fletcher and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2003-11-17 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An offbeat and satirical work of what might be considered literary fiction, The Chronicles of a Cynic is a loosely allegorical spin on Dante's Purgatorio. This contemporary bildungsroman follows the unlikely path of the title character--a writer/educator named Dan Taylor-Gehry--across the country to teaching jobs, through loves gained and lost, against encounters with the seven deadly sins, amidst moderate success in writing and publishing, and ultimately downward through his darkest psychological recesses. The cynic's frenetic pace matches the transience of Kerouac's Sal Paradise, and the bombastic tone of his narration evokes visions of Ignatius Reilly waxing philosophical from behind a hot dog stand. With his cynicism rooted in his desire for cultural purity, Taylor-Gehry takes his idealism too far by resorting to ridiculous acts of violence against others and himself. During his incarceration, he is forced to prove his sanity by charting his life story, resulting in this darkly comic novel of ideas.

Download or read book Cynicism written by Ansgar Allen and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A short history of cynicism, from the fearless speech of the ancient Greeks to the jaded negativity of the present. Everyone's a cynic, yet few will admit it. Today's cynics excuse themselves half-heartedly—“I hate to be a cynic, but..."—before making their pronouncements. Narrowly opportunistic, always on the take, contemporary cynicism has nothing positive to contribute. The Cynicism of the ancient Greeks, however, was very different. This Cynicism was a marginal philosophy practiced by a small band of eccentrics. Bold and shameless, it was committed to transforming the values on which civilization depends. In this volume of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Ansgar Allen charts the long history of cynicism, from the “fearless speech” of Greek Cynics in the fourth century BCE to the contemporary cynic's lack of social and political convictions. Allen describes ancient Cynicism as an improvised philosophy and a way of life disposed to scandalize contemporaries, subjecting their cultural commitments to derision. He chronicles the subsequent “purification” of Cynicism by the Stoics; Renaissance and Enlightenment appropriations of Cynicism, drawing on the writings of Shakespeare, Rabelais, Rousseau, de Sade, and others; and the transition from Cynicism (the philosophy) to cynicism (the modern attitude), exploring contemporary cynicism from the perspectives of its leftist, liberal, and conservative critics. Finally, he considers the possibility of a radical cynicism that admits and affirms the danger it poses to contemporary society.

Download or read book A Cynic Looks at Life written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Sheba Blake Publishing Corporation. This book was released on 2022-01-07 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Misanthropes, grumps, and the hopelessly jaded will relish every ruthlessly witty word of Ambrose Bierce's essay collection A Cynic Looks at Life. Bierce unleashes his jaundiced eye and incisive insight on a number of topics that are still as resonant as they were at the time of the book's 1912 publication.

Download or read book Mere Hope written by Jason G. Duesing and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2018-06-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How are Christians to live in such difficult times? Unique of all people, Christians are called to embrace a hopeful outlook on life. Mere Hope offers the core, Christ-centered perspective that all Christians share, and that Christians alone have to offer a world filled with frustration, pain, and disappointment. For those in darkness, despair, and discouragement, for those in the midst of trials, suffering, and injustice, mere hope lives. The spirit of the age is cynicism. When our leaders, our families, and our friends let us down at every turn, this isn't surprising. But we need another perspective; we need hope. Rather than reflecting resigned despair or distracted indifference, author Jason Duesing argues, our lives ought to be shaped by the gospel of Jesus—a gospel of hope.

Download or read book Apathy and Other Small Victories written by Paul Neilan and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2007-04-01 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A scathingly funny debut novel about disillusionment, indifference, and one man's desperate fight to assign absolutely no meaning to modern life. The only thing Shane cares about is leaving. Usually on a Greyhound bus, right before his life falls apart again. Just like he planned. But this time it's complicated: there's a sadistic corporate climber who thinks she's his girlfriend, a rent-subsidized affair with his landlord's wife, and the bizarrely appealing deaf assistant to Shane's cosmically unstable dentist. When one of the women is murdered, and Shane is the only suspect who doesn't care enough to act like he didn't do it, the question becomes just how he'll clear the good name he never had and doesn't particularly want: his own. “The malaise of cubicle culture may be well-trodden comedic territory by now, but Neilan's debut skewers office life with a flourish for the grotesque.” —The Village Voice

Download or read book A Cynic Looks at Life written by Ambrose Bierce and published by . This book was released on 2019-06-24 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of essays in which Bierce talks about modern civilization and all its faults, the death penalty and many others. His arguments are still relevant to issues of today. Ambrose Bierce was well known for his biting wit and cynical approach to life.

Download or read book The Cynic s Word Book written by Ambrose Bierce and published by . This book was released on 2017-08-03 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Cynic's Word BookThis book is one of the classic book of all time.

Download or read book The Cynic s Word Book written by Ambrose Bierce and published by . This book was released on 2021-04-03 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABASEMENT, n. A decent and customary mental attitude in the presence of wealthor power. Peculiarly appropriate in an employé when addressing an employer.ABATIS, n. Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molestingthe rubbish inside.ABDICATION, n. An act whereby a sovereign attests his sense of the hightemperature of the throne.Poor Isabella's dead, whose abdicationSet all tongues wagging in the Spanish nation.For that performance 'twere unfair to scold her: She wisely left a throne too hot to hold her.To History she 'll be no royal riddle-Merely a plain parched pea that jumped the griddle.ABDOMEN, n. The temple of the god Stomach, in whose worship, with sacrificialrights, all true men engage. From women this ancient faith commands but astammering assent. They sometimes minister at the altar in a half-hearted andinefficient way, but true reverence for the one deity that men really adore theyknow not. If woman had a free hand in the world's marketing the race wouldbecome graminivorous.

Download or read book The Cynic s Word Book written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 2021-01-01 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in the year 1906, American Civil War soldier, journalist, and short story writer Ambrose Bierce's 'The Cynic's Word Book' is a satirical dictionary. This book consists of common words followed by extremely funny and witty definitions that can be read as a critical social commentary.

Download or read book The Cynic s Word Book written by Ambrose Bierce and published by Hardpress Publishing. This book was released on 2012-08 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Download or read book The Cynic Philosophers written by Diogenes of Sinope and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Poverty does not consist in the want of money,' I answered, 'nor is begging to be deplored. Poverty consists in the desire to have everything, and through violent means if necessary' From their founding in the fifth century BC and for over 800 years, the Cynic philosophers sought to cure humanity of greed and vice with their proposal of living simply. They guaranteed happiness to their adherents through freedom of speech, poverty, self-sufficiency and physical hardiness. In this fascinating and completely new collection of Cynic writing through the centuries, from Diogenes and Hipparchia, to Lucian and the Roman emperor Julian, the history and experiences of the Cynic philosophers are explored to the full. Robert Dobbin's introduction examines the public image of the Cynics through the ages, as well as the philosophy's contradictions and how their views on women were centuries ahead of their time. This edition also includes notes on the text, chronology, glossary and suggested further reading. Translated, edited and with an introduction by Robert Dobbin

Download or read book The Complete Cynic written by Oliver Herford and published by Litres. This book was released on 2021-12-02 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Cynic Looks at Life written by Ambrose Bierce and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2013-07 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The question "Does civilization civilize?" is a fine example of petitio principii, and decides itself in the affirmative; for civilization must needs do that from the doing of which it has its name. But it is not necessary to suppose that he who propounds is either unconscious of his lapse in logic or desirous of digging a pitfall for the feet of those who discuss; I take it he simply wishes to put the matter in an impressive way, and relies upon a certain degree of intelligence in the interpretation.

Download or read book A Cynic Looks at Life written by Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce and published by . This book was released on 2020-05-03 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The question "Does civilization civilize?" is a fine example of petitio principii, and decides itself in the affirmative; for civilization must needs do that from the doing of which it has its name. But it is not necessary to suppose that he who propounds is either unconscious of his lapse in logic or desirous of digging a pitfall for the feet of those who discuss; I take it he simply wishes to put the matter in an impressive way, and relies upon a certain degree of intelligence in the interpretation.Concerning uncivilized peoples we know but little except what we are told by travelers-who, speaking generally, can know very little but the fact of uncivilization, as shown in externals and irrelevances, and are moreover, greatly given to lying. From the savages we hear very little. Judging them in all things by our own standards in default of a knowledge of theirs, we necessarily condemn, disparage and belittle. One thing that civilization certainly has not done is to make us intelligent enough to understand that the contrary of a virtue is not necessarily a vice. Because, as a rule, we have but one wife and several mistresses each it is not certain that polygamy is everywhere-nor, for that matter, anywhere-either wrong or inexpedient. Because the brutality of the civilized slave owners and dealers created a conquering sentiment against slavery it is not intelligent to assume that slavery is a maleficent thing amongst Oriental peoples (for example) where the slave is not oppressed. Some of these same Orientals whom we are pleased to term half-civilized have no regard for truth. "Takest thou me for a Christian dog," said one of them, "that I should be the slave of my word?" So far as I can perceive, the "Christian dog" is no more the slave of his word than the True Believer, and I think the savage-allowing for the fact that his inveracity has dominion over fewer things-as great a liar as either of them. For my part, I do not know what, in all circumstances, is right or wrong; but I know that, if right, it is at least stupid, to judge an uncivilized people by the standards of morality and intelligence set up by civilized ones. Life in civilized countries is so complex that men there have more ways to be good than savages have, and more to be bad; more to be happy, and more to be miserable. And in each way to be good or bad, their generally superior knowledge-their knowledge of more things-enables them to commit greater excesses than the savage can. The civilized philanthropist wreaks upon his fellows a ranker philanthropy, the civilized rascal a sturdier rascality. And-splendid triumph of enlightenment!-the two characters are, in civilization, frequently combined in one person.

Download or read book The Complete Cynic written by Oliver Herford and published by BookRix. This book was released on 2014-03-26 with total page 14 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Wisdom may not be confined 'Twixt covers of the dictionary, neither will it be defined; learning, you may quickly bury; wisdom—Soul and Life combined combined— lingers ever with the merry." This Little Book of Wisdom Great it pleases us to dedicate to that Rampageous Reprobate— the World at Large. Yet as we mark his Stony Phiz and see him whoop and whirl and whiz, we can but cry—O Lord, why is the World at Large!

Download or read book Sleeping Naked Is Green written by Vanessa Farquharson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-08-06 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No one likes listening to smug hippies bragging about how they don't use toilet paper, or worse yet, lecturing about the evils of plastic bags and SUVs. But most of us do want to lessen our ecological footprint. With this in mind, Farquharson takes on the intense personal challenge of making one green change to her lifestyle every single day for a year to ultimately figure out what's doable and what's too hardcore. Vanessa goes to the extremes of selling her car, unplugging the fridge, and washing her hair with vinegar, but she also does easy things like switching to an all-natural lip balm. All the while, she is forced to reflect on what it truly means to be green. Whether confronting her environmental hypocrisy or figuring out the best place in her living room for a compost bin full of worms and rotting cabbage, Vanessa writes about her foray into the green world with self-deprecating, humorous, and accessible insight. This isn't a how-to book of tips, it's not about being eco-chic; it's an honest look at what happens when an average girl throws herself into the murkiest depths of the green movement. Reviews “A humorous, self-deprecating tale of the crazy things that happen to normal people when they take the green plunge. Vanessa Farquharson will have you wanting to try your own experiments, too, because she shows how easy some of these planet-saving changes can be.” —Alisa Smith, co-author of The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating “By spending a year putting the planet’s needs as a top priority, Vanessa Farquharson’s search for love and connection leads her to happiness she never thought she could know. An entertaining approach to ‘greenlightenment,’ Sleeping Naked Is Green will surely inspire other skeptics to find their inner environmentalist.” —Gillian Deacon, author of Green for Life “One step a day doesn't seem like much, but over the course of a whole year it adds up to a world of difference. This isn't just a well-written and fun book about going green, it is about watching a personal transformation. Being inspired was never so entertaining.” —Lloyd Alter, TreeHugger.com

Download or read book Didn t See It Coming written by Carey Nieuwhof and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2021-08-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An influential pastor, podcaster, and thought leader believes it's not only possible to predict life's hardest moments, but also to alter outcomes, overcome challenges, and defeat your fiercest adversaries. Founding Pastor of one of North America's most influential churches, Carey Nieuwhof wants to help you avoid and overcome life's seven hardest and most crippling challenges: cynicism, compromise, disconnectedness, irrelevance, pride, burnout, and emptiness. These are challenges that few of us expect but that we all experience at some point. If you have yet to confront these obstacles, Carey provides clear tools and guidelines for anticipation and avoidance. On the other hand, if you already feel stuck in a painful experience or are wrestling with one of these challenges, he provides the steps you need to find a way out and a way forward into a more powerful and vibrant future. Now available in paperback edition.