Consume Product

Many say that Stoicism, as an offshoot of Cynicism, is merely Cynicism in mind but not in material. But I'd question that based on Diogenes's (alleged) comments:

Rival philosopher: So are you one of the men (sometimes translated as "honest man" but that adjective doesn't describe it by half) that you seek with your lantern lit in the middle of the day?

Diogenes: I am not a man, but a dog. Dogs and philosophers do a great good. We nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy, and bite the scoundrels (In Diogenes's case sometimes literally).

Rival philosopher: Then if you are not one where can we find your men?

Diogenes: Men I find nowhere, but good boys in Sparta.

This is in reference to the Spartan Agoge. Boys were forced into constant athletics, made to go barefoot, had to steal for their food, were beaten if they were caught, and slept on a bed of reeds they made themselves. They didn't have to. These were rich kids of Spartiate citizen families, the top 3% of Spartan society. They had plenty material wealth. They knew that material wealth would be there after they graduated. But instead they eschewed all that wealth, chose the destitution of the Agoge because that's what "men" do.

Kinda sounds like the Stoics. Marcus Aurelius, rich beyond your wildest dreams, but always kept his nose to the grindstone in body, mind, and spirit. The material was just.. there, other. It can be put to use, sure, not bad in and of itself, but wasn't sought for its own sake or lusted after.