On most major transactions in my life I have rarely paid the asking price. I always pay more. The purchase of a car is a good example. The salesman will quote one price and at closing there are numerous add on cost that raise the actual amount I pay significantly. Taxes, license, and multiple other added features are killers. Computers, TVs and other electronic equipment always come with the push by the salesperson to buy an extended warranty, which is worthless and nothing but pure profit for the business. I won’t even begin to talk about the add on cost for building a house. The price of material increases daily and the final cost may be far above what you had planned or even imagined.

Everything we purchase has gone up in price and down in quality and quantity. A nickel candy bar now cost over 50 cents and is smaller. There are larger packages and bottles for most every product, but the contents are smaller and we are paying more per ounce for the material than in the past. It looks like we are getting more when in fact we are being duped and cheated.

Diogenes is one of my favorite philosophers. He was a Greek philosopher who carried a lantern around in search of an honest man. He was known as Diogenes the Cynic and founded the Philosophy of Cynicism. He believed we should study the dog. He thought the dog was a virtuous animal and knew instinctively who was friend and foe. Mark Twain probably loved Diogenes. Twain said, not to ask St. Peter to let your dog into Heaven because admission to Heaven is by favor and not merit. If it was by merit the dog would be admitted and you would be left out.

Even the cost of my sitting on the porch has gone up. Electricity is higher and I am no cooler or warmer than in the past. As a matter of fact, since I have adjusted the temperature to save a little I am more miserable. What I pay for my satellite TV coverage is far more than what I was originally quoted. The books I buy are also more expensive and the contents are worse than those filled with the words of writers in the past. I also pay a lot more for what is now called music.

So, is it any wonder why I like Diogenes and the philosophy of Cynicism. I am going to start carrying a lantern in search of an honest man.