He was a precursor to the modern-day minimalist, rejecting anything unnecessary. His shamelessness was meant to serve as a demonstration that nature and reason were superior to convention, and that in many ways, the simple lives of animals were better than the overcomplicated lives civilized society demands. He preached the virtues of self-control and self-sufficiency and claimed that virtue of character was all anyone needed to live a good life. He once threw away his only possession, a wooden bowl, after seeing a boy cupping his hands to drink from the river, announcing, “A child has beaten
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