When and where did atheism first start ?

[Losty]

Yeah OK. But there's no intent or reasoning if one doesn't know what a theist is?
Don't we actively proclaim our atheism? Otherwise it loses all meaning.

eg:
Are you an atheist? Sure? What's an atheist? Someone who doesn't believe in theism. What is theism? I have no idea? Why are you an atheist then? Because I'm not a theist? How do you know? Well I can't be a theist if I don't know what one is? So I'm an atheist!

I surely don’t actively proclaim my atheism outside of the internet and I don’t think it loses its meaning.

I don’t like your example because my dictionary doesn’t mention theism in the definition of atheism. The name might make you think that’s what it is. And the label likely came about in response to theism. But the definition is a simple lack of belief in gods.

eg:
Do you believe in any gods? What’s a god? I dunno. Well, I guess we both don’t believe then heh.
*These people, while not having, using, knowing, or needing the word atheist we’re technically atheists as per the current definition of the word because they did not believe in any gods.


*just to clarify: I’m mostly just trying to look at this from a different perspective. Not really arguing that you’re wrong. Clearly, atheism was never a thing until after theism was a thing. But I do find it amusing that the definition of atheism is not “someone who is not a theist” as the word itself suggests it should be.