Dogs and Philosophers Always Allowed

I have been described as a cynic by more than one person, and even some of my words and actions have admittedly been what most would describe as cynical.
Dictionary.com (because I don't have a paper dictionary on hand at the moment) gives the following definitions for cynical:

1. like or characteristic of a cynic; distrusting or disparaging the motives of others.
2. showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's actions, esp. by actions that exploit the scruples of others.
3. bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.

I will openly admit that I am at times very much like the above. I am not easily trusting of others, or their motivations. Part of this is due to some bad relationships (not all of which were romantic, I should specify), and generally overall life experience. My trust is hard to earn, even harder to win back once damaged. When my trust is won however, I am a very loyal person, sometimes to a fault. I won't deny being taken advantage of in the past, to the point where I would not blame someone where they to witness some of these incidents and label me a fool. They wouldn't be altogether wrong--a fool I very rightly am in some cases, make no mistake. I am wise, but only due to my immense foolishness, and not all the time do I ever manifest both traits simultaneously. Interesting to note about the fool as well--his antics can bring out the faults in others, like the court jester jabbing at the faults of the royalty with immunity, or the antics of Coyote.

Interesting to note as well, when one researches into the history of the word cynical or cynic, we come up with this, also from :

A cynic may be pardoned for thinking that this is a dog's life. The Greek word kunikos, from which cynic comes, was originally an adjective meaning "doglike," from kuōn, "dog." The word was probably applied to the Cynic philosophers because of the nickname kuōn given to Diogenes of Sinope, the prototypical Cynic.

Thus comes an interesting and enlightening connection! But it gets better. Stanley Coren, in his book How Dogs Think, writes of the sect's founder Diogenes:

Plato's contemporary Diogenes, another significant Greek philosopher, although more eccentric than most, became known for wandering the world with a lamp claiming to be "looking for an honest man." While he had his doubts about humans, Diogenes thought dogs were extremely moral and intelligent and even adopted the nickname "Cyon," which means "Dog." He would go on to found one of the great ancient schools of philosophy, and he and his followers would later become known by his nickname as "Cynics" or "Dog Thinkers." Diogenes' own intelligence and wit were such that Alexander the Great, after meeting him in Corinth, went away saying, "If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes."
When Diogenes died, the people of Athens raised a great marble pillar in his memory. On top of the pillar was the image of a dog. Beneath the dog there was a long inscription that started with the following bit of conversation:
"Say, Dog, I pray, what guard you in that tomb?"
"A dog."
"His name?"
"Diogenes."

I am deeply inspired by the stories and thinking of Diogenes, a true-to-life, historical cynanthrope who lived his beliefs deeply and completely--not just talked about them (more on this later). I always seek to emulate this in my spiritual path. The search for truth and honesty, the striving for discipline and the knowledge of self. Cynicism has, I feel, taken a bad rap. I am not habitually negative, but I am not habitually positive either. I am, however, habitually passionate. I am passionate about life, about my philosophy and spirituality and occult practice. I am passionate about my relationships with others, and I am deeply passionate about my inner knowing, of which my personal cynanthropy plays a very big part.