Diogenes, We Need You
Diogenes used his simple lifestyle and behavior to criticize the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt or at least confused society. In a highly non-traditional fashion, he had a reputation of sleeping and eating wherever he chose and took to toughening himself against nature. He declared himself a cosmopolitan and a citizen of the world rather than claiming allegiance to just one place……He criticized and embarrassed Plato, disputed his interpretation of Socrates and sabotaged his lectures, sometimes distracting attendees by bringing food and eating during the discussions…..It was contrary to Athenian customs to eat within the marketplace, and still he would eat there, for, as he explained when rebuked, it was during the time he was in the marketplace that he felt hungry.—Wikipedia
Diogenes the Cynic 404 — 323BC
Diogenes speaks…….
I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels.
I pissed on the man who called me a dog. Why was he so surprised?
No man is hurt but by himself. …Literally by how he interprets what happens to him. If he focuses on how it could have been better, he will be hurt. If he focuses on how it could have been worse, he will be happy. The same is true for women too.
We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.
He lit a lamp in broad daylight and said, as he went about, “I am looking for a human.”
Plato had defined Man as an animal, biped and featherless, and was applauded. Diogenes plucked a fowl and brought it into the lecture-room with the words, “Here is Plato’s man.
Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.
I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.
Self-taught poverty is a help toward philosophy , for the things which philosophy attempts to teach by reasoning , poverty forces us to practice .
Fools! You think of “god” as a sentient being. God is the word used to represent a force. This force created nothing, it just helps things along. It does not answer prayers, although it may make you think of a way to solve a problem. It has the power to influence you, but not decide for you.
